bottom

1 of 3

noun

bot·​tom ˈbä-təm 

1

a

: the underside of something

at the bottom of the box

a cut on the bottom of her foot

The vase is signed on the bottom.

b

: a surface (such as the seat of a chair) designed to support something resting on it

—used figuratively in phrases like the bottom dropped out to describe a sudden collapse or downturn

lost millions when the bottom dropped out of the stock market

c

: buttocks, rump

a baby with a rash on his bottom

2

: the surface on which a body of water lies

sank to the bottom of the ocean

3

nautical

a

: the part of a ship's hull lying below the water

b

: boat, ship

cargo … carried by foreign bottoms

—Virginia A. Oakes

4

a

: the lowest part or place

the bottom of the page

stood at the bottom of the stairs

b

: the remotest or inmost point

sail to the bottom of the bay

c

: the lowest or last place in rank or position

The CEO started at the bottom and worked her way up.

graduated at the bottom of the class

the bottom of the pay scale

d

clothing : the part of a garment worn on the lower part of the body

white tops and navy blue bottoms

a bikini bottom

especially : the pants of pajamas

—usually used in plural

e

baseball : the last half of an inning

the bottom of the ninth

f

music : the bass or baritone instruments of a band

5

geography : bottomland

—usually used in plural

the Mississippi river bottoms

6

: basis, source

trying to get to the bottom of these rumors

7

: capacity (as of a horse) to endure strain

a breed of dogs outstanding for bottom

8

textiles : a foundation color applied to fibers before dyeing

9

physics : a fundamental quark that accounts for the existence and lifetime of upsilon particles and has an electric charge of −¹/₃ and a measured energy of approximately 5 GeV

also : the flavor (see flavor entry 1 sense 4b) characterizing this particle

bottomed

ˈbä-təmd 

adjective

bottom

2 of 3

verb

bottomed; bottoming; bottoms

transitive verb

1

: to furnish (something, such as a chair) with a bottom

2

: to provide a foundation for

men who wanted to bottom the dreams of the Romantics

—Bonamy Dobrée

3

: to bring to the bottom

bottomed the submarine on the ocean floor

4

: to find the basis or source of (something, such as a rumor) : to get to the bottom (see bottom entry 1 sense 6) of

The mystery hasn't been bottomed.

intransitive verb

1

: to become based or grounded

find on what foundation any proposition bottoms

—John Locke

2

: to reach the bottom

bottoming on the sea floor

3

: to reach a point where a decline is halted or reversed

—usually used with out

The team bottomed out in last place.

bottomer noun

bottom

3 of 3

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or situated at the bottom (see bottom entry 1)

bottom rock

2

: frequenting the lowest part or place : frequenting the bottom

bottom fish

Phrases

at bottom

: really, basically

It is, at bottom, a love song.

Synonyms

Noun

• underbelly
• underbody
• underpart
• underside
• undersurface

Adjective

• bottommost
• low
• lowermost
• nethermost
• rock-bottom
• undermost

Examples of bottom in a Sentence

Noun

We sailed to the bottom of the bay.

the bottom of the garden

The poor baby has a rash all over his little bottom.

The company's new CEO started at the bottom and worked her way up.

Why do I always find myself rooting for the team at the bottom of the league?

at the bottom of the pay scale

Adjective

the bottom rung of the ladder

Somebody's fingerprints are all along the bottom edge of the photograph.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The short-term tax burden of tariffs is about 2.5 times greater for those at the bottom, the Yale analysis found. —Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025

Arrange the shards in a layer in the bottom of your planter. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2025

Verb

The stock bottomed in late 2024 and has been recovering ever since, including a roughly 10% gain since the February market top. —Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

As is clear on the chart, GDX bottomed in 2015 and has been gradually climbing back since then, forming a broad multiyear base from late 2020 through early 2025. —Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025

Adjective

The eye-catching blue color is perfectly suited for warm weather, and the bottom hem slants to the side in a way that makes the whole set look more elevated. —Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025

Nine of their 15 opponents in the Premier League since the turn of the year are in the bottom half of the table. —Liam Twomey, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English botme, botom, bothom, going back to Old English botm, *boðm, going back to Germanic *butma- (whence, with varying dental consonants, Old Saxon bođom "ground, bottom," Old High German bodam, Old Norse botn), going back to Indo-European *b^hud^h-mḗn, *b^hud^h-mn-ós, whence also Greek pythmḗn "bottom, ground, base," Sanskrit budhná- and (with metathesis of stop and nasal) Latin fundus "bottom, base," Middle Irish bonn "sole of the foot"

Verb

derivative of bottom entry 1

Adjective

from attributive use of bottom entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1544, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bottom

• at the bottom of one's/the class
• at the bottom of the pile
• at the bottom/top of the heap
• be/lie at the bottom of
• bottom drawer
• bottom-feeder
• bottom-fishing
• bottom gear
• bottom line
• bottom out
• bottom round
• bottom surgery
• bottom-up
• false bottom
• from the bottom of one's heart
• from top to bottom
• get to the bottom of
• hit bottom
• hit/reach rock bottom
• rock bottom
• scrape bottom
• the bottom drops/falls out
• the bottom of the barrel

Rhymes for bottom

• autumn
• scrotum

Kids Definition

bottom

1 of 2 noun

bot·​tom ˈbät-əm 

1

a

: the undersurface of something

b

: a supporting surface or part : base

c

: buttock sense 2a, rump

2

: the surface on which a body of water lies

3

a

: the part of a ship's hull lying below the water

b

: boat entry 1 sense 1, ship

4

: the lowest part, place, or point

the bottom of the page

5

: the part of a garment worn on the lower part of the body

especially : the trousers of pajamas

—usually used in plural

6

: lowland along a river

the Mississippi River bottoms

7

: the most basic or central part : heart

get to the bottom of the problem

8

: the last half of an inning of baseball

bottomed

-əmd 

adjective

bottom

2 of 2 verb

1

: to provide a foundation for

2

: to rest on, bring to, or reach the bottom