Etymology: Probably < either (i) Middle Dutch but, bot, butte, botte (Old Dutch but ; Dutch bot ) flounder, or (ii) the related Middle Low German but, butte, of uncertain origin, perhaps < the adjectives Middle Dutch bot , Middle Low German but blunt, stumpy, plump (see butt n.⁶), on account of the blunt shape of a flounder's head. Compare ( < Middle Dutch or Middle Low German) German Butt , Swedish butta . See also halibut n.The English word could on formal grounds be a cognate of the Middle Dutch and Middle Low German words, but borrowing is suggested by distribution of most of the early examples in the east of England.

Etymology: Apparently < post-classical Latin butta, buttis, buttus, buttum small strip of arable land in an open field (frequently from 12th cent. in British sources), of uncertain origin. The post-classical Latin word probably shows a borrowing from a vernacular language, perhaps even from English. It may be related to (and perhaps borrowed from) Old French, Middle French bute , butte small elevation, hill, mound (c1375: compare butt n.¹³), archery butt (1225: see butt n.⁷), or the related Middle French but fixed point in space, limit (1334: see butt n.⁷ and compare also butt v.², abut v.), although the chronology presents difficulties, and it is notable that these words appear not to be recorded in Anglo-Norman. The Latin and English words could also be connected more directly with the probable Germanic base underlying these French words (which were probably borrowed into Old French from early Scandinavian). The term is frequent in English field names of Middle English or later origin apparently in the sense ‘small strip of arable land in an open field’ (see below); a different place-name element with the possible meaning ‘stump, mound’ has also been posited for some superficially similar place names of Old English date, but this is very uncertain (see discussion at butt n.⁶). A connection with Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French bout end (see butt n.⁵) is also possible. See note at buttock n. for a word occurring (once) in an Old English boundary charter and also in field names which may perhaps show a derivative of this word; if so, it implies significantly earlier currency, and makes a French origin less likely.The following examples apparently all show the (nominative or accusative) plural of post-classical Latin buttis , although it is possible that they could instead show earlier evidence for the English word:1182 in W. Kennett Parochial Antiq. (1818) I. 188 Viginti acras..in Heilefurlung et buttes apud Ymbehlowesmer.1218 in W. Kennett Parochial Antiq. (1818) I. 261 Seilones terræ qui vocantur Buttes.?a1260 Alvingham Cartulary f. 148 Dedisse..tres buttes terre arabilis.1399 in W. Kennett Parochial Antiq. (1818) II. 193 Aliquando quatuor Buttes..aliquando v..et aliquando viii faciunt unam acram..secundam quantitatem earundem. Quot. 1304 at sense 1a probably does show the English word (or an otherwise unrecorded Anglo-Norman parallel) in a Latin context, since it lacks the expected Latin ablative plural inflection. The English word is apparently attested earlier (and widely) in field names, as Hethbutte, Warwickshire (12th cent.), Scortebuttes, East Riding, Yorkshire (12th cent.), le Bottes, Derbyshire (13th cent.), Flaxebuttes, Nottinghamshire (1230), Schortebuttes, Nottinghamshire (1233), Stanibutts, Derbyshire (c1240), le Longebuttes, Cheshire (c1260), etc.

Etymology: Probably partly (i) < Anglo-Norman and Old French but, Anglo-Norman and Middle French bout blow, thrust, push (12th cent.; < bouter butt v.¹), and partly (ii) < butt v.¹

Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman but, butte, bote, botte, bout cask, wine-butt (12th cent.), and its etymon (ii) post-classical Latin buttis (6th cent.), butta (10th cent.) cask, wineskin, of unknown origin; perhaps compare Byzantine Greek πυτίνη, (Tarentine) βυτίνη. Compare Middle French botte, bote cask (c1400), measure of capacity (c1450).Compare Old Occitan bota (14th cent.), Spanish bota (c1400), Portuguese bota (15th cent.), Italian botte (13th cent.). The following probably shows the Anglo-Norman rather than the Middle English word:1385 in M. T. Löfvenberg Contrib. Middle Eng. Lexicogr. & Etymol. (1946) 57 [6] botes [of Greek wine].For an earlier Germanic borrowing of the same Latin word see bit n.³ (where the early Middle English spelling butte (chiefly, but not exclusively, with the reflex of Old English /y/) shows overlap with the spellings of this word). With butt of malmsey (compare quot. a1535 at sense 1a, where it is used with reference to the supposed manner of death of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence) compare Italian botte di malvasia.

Etymology: Either (i) < Anglo-Norman and Middle French bout (French bout ) end of something (12th cent. in Old French; < bouter butt v.¹), or (ii) < butt v.² (with reference to abutment; compare butt v.² 3). An origin as a specific use of butt n.⁶ seems less likely, as that word refers primarily to the thick or fat end of something, but the two words have very likely been associated with one another from an early date.The following may show an earlier example of sense 1b (as is suggested by its appearance alongside several other nautical terms), although the Latin lemma glossed suggests that it instead shows butt n.⁶ 8a:a1500 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 737/24 Hic lumbus, a bott. Hic malus, a mast. Hoc velum, a saylle.

Etymology: Origin uncertain. A derivative of this word is apparently shown by buttock n., in which case currency at least as early as the beginning of the 14th cent. is implied. The word is probably ultimately related to the Germanic base (related to that of beat v.¹) that is reflected by: Dutch bot blunt, dull, Middle Dutch bot , but (Dutch bot ) bone (probably originally with reference to bumps at the end of a bone), German regional (Low German) butt blunt, plump, Butt short, thick end, Old Icelandic buttr , butti (as nickname; Icelandic butti short fat person), bútr stump, log, also as nickname (also búti ), Norwegian butt stump, log, Swedish but rounded piece, lump, early modern Danish but blunted (Danish but ). However, it is unclear whether the word shows a cognate of these Germanic forms (not recorded in Old English), or a borrowing from either early Scandinavian or from another West Germanic language. It is also possible that it could show a borrowing from Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French bout end (see butt n.⁵), although that is made less likely by the fact that that word is not recorded in the specific sense ‘thick end’. The question of this word's origin is made much more difficult by the uncertain connection with place names and other early evidence discussed here and at buttock n., and also by the possibility of etymological connection with butt n.² (of very uncertain ulterior origin), and with butt n.⁷ and butt n.¹³ (both of which are borrowed from French words ultimately borrowed from cognates of the Germanic words discussed above). See also butt n.¹¹, probably in origin a specific use of this word.The following Old English place names have sometimes been taken to imply earlier currency of the word or its derivatives (in sense ‘stump’ or ‘mound’): Buttingtun (first half of the 10th cent.; now either Buttington, Montgomeryshire or Buttington, Gloucestershire), Botingelle , Sussex (1086; now Buttinghill), Butelege , Cheshire (1086; now Butley), and the charter boundary marker buttingc graf , lit. ‘Butting grove’, Little Witley, Worcestershire (first half of the 11th cent.). However, all of these are more likely to reflect an unattested Old English personal name *Butt(a) , probably ultimately from the same base as the Germanic words cited above (a personal name Byttic , apparently derived from *Butt(a) , is attested). Specific senses. With sense 2b perhaps compare botthe at bud n.¹ Forms.

Etymology: < Middle French but (French but ) fixed point in space, limit, boundary (1334), objective, goal, aim (1534), and the related bute, butte mound or other structure on which a target is placed for archery practice (1225 in Old French; also small elevation, hill, mound: see butt n.¹³), reflecting a borrowing < a form in a Germanic language (probably early Scandinavian) cognate with those cited at butt n.⁶Compare the related butt v.² and abut v.