rear end
Your backside, said clean enough for church but sharp enough for a scolding.
Also called hind end, tail.
Updated September 24, 2026
rear end pronunciation
/REER end/
Meaning
Rear end is the family-friendly word for the buttocks in Southern and Appalachian talk. Parents tell kids to sit their rear ends down. Somebody falls flat on their rear end at the ballgame. Bust your rear end is the classic warning that a spanking might be coming. Same job as hind end or tail, just a little more Sunday-safe than butt.
How folks use it
- “He slipped in the mud and landed flat on his rear end.”
- “Y'all better get your rear ends to the table before supper gets cold.”
Origin and etymology
Plain compound of rear (the back) and end. Spread through American English as a mild body term, then dug in deep in Southern family discipline talk alongside hind end and bust your rear end. Straightforward English, kept lively by rural scolding and jokes.
Frequently asked questions
Is rear end rude?
Mild. It's what you say when you don't want to say butt in front of grandma or the preacher.