Bottom
/ˈbɒtəm/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe lowest point or part of something.
/ˈbɒtəm/
Lowest part of something
The bottom of the stairs was slippery.
💡 Simply: The very lowest part.
More Examples
He reached the bottom of his coffee cup.
How It's Used
"The bottom of the box was wet."
"We reached the bottom of the valley."
Lowest in rank, position, or importance.
/ˈbɒtəm/
Lowest in rank or importance
He was at the bottom of the class.
💡 Simply: The least important.
More Examples
It's a bottom-of-the-range product.
How It's Used
"He's at the bottom of the social ladder."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
get to the bottom of something
To discover the truth about something.
"The police are trying to get to the bottom of the mystery."
From Old English *botm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bodem and German Boden.
The word 'bottom' has been used consistently to refer to the lowest part of something since Old English times.
Memory tip
Think of the bottom of a boat.
Word Origin
"base, ground"