bunt

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: the middle part of a square sail
b
: the part of a furled sail gathered up in a bunch at the center of the yard
2
: the bagging part of a fishing net

bunt

2 of 4

verb

bunted; bunting; bunts

transitive verb

1
: to strike or push with or as if with the head : butt
2
: to push or tap (a baseball) lightly with a bat without swinging

intransitive verb

: to bunt a baseball
bunter noun

bunt

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
: an act or instance of bunting
2
: a bunted ball

bunt

4 of 4

noun (3)

: a destructive covered smut of wheat caused by a fungus (genus Tilletia)

Examples of bunt in a Sentence

Verb The batter bunted for a single. He bunted the ball toward third base.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Hip check Gavin Lux tweaked his right-hip flexor breaking out of the box on his fourth-inning bunt Sunday night and was pulled from the game in the seventh inning. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024 With the score 2-2, Daz Cameron’s bunt single to start the 12th sent Gelof, the automatic runner, to third. Staff and Wire Reports, The Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2024
Verb
After drilling the Rockies’ Todd Helton in a 2009 game at Coors Field, the pitcher bunted in his next at-bat. Daniel Brown, The Athletic, 29 Aug. 2024 In the field, the Yankees also could try to stress Freeman in a way the Padres and New York Mets didn’t, by bunting to him and forcing him to be more involved defensively. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bunt 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps from Low German, bundle, from Middle Low German; akin to Old English byndel bundle

Verb

alteration of butt

Noun (3)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1584, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1767, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

circa 1790, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bunt was circa 1582

Dictionary Entries Near bunt

Cite this Entry

“Bunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bunt. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bunt

verb
ˈbənt
1
: to strike or push with the horns or head : butt
2
: to push or tap a baseball lightly without swinging the bat
bunt noun
bunter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bunt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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