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n. pl. ass·es (ăsĭz) 1. Any of several hoofed mammals of the genus Equus, resembling and closely related to the horses but having a smaller build and longer ears, and including the domesticated donkey. 2. A foolish or stupid person. [Middle English asse, from Old English assa, perhaps a hypocoristic for Old English dialectal (Northumbrian) asal, ultimately (perhaps via a Celtic form akin to Old Irish asal) from Latin asinus; see ASININE.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
