rabbit
rabbit
Pronunciation
/ˈræbɪt/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
First Syllable: /ræ/
/r/: Voiced alveolar approximant
/æ/: Near-open front unrounded vowel
Second Syllable: /bɪt/
/b/: Voiced bilabial plosive
/ɪ/: Near-close near-front unrounded vowel
/t/: Voiceless alveolar plosive
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: rabbit (e.g., "I saw a rabbit in the garden.")
Plural: rabbits (e.g., "There were many rabbits in the field.")
Note: While "rabbits" is the most common plural, "rabbit" can also be used as a collective plural, especially when referring to them as a group (e.g., "We hunted rabbit yesterday").
Verb:
Infinitive: to rabbit (e.g., "He likes to rabbit for his dinner.")
Present Simple:
I/you/we/they rabbit
he/she/it rabbits (e.g., "He rabbits in the mornings.")
Present Participle: rabbiting (e.g., "They are rabbiting in the woods." or "He's always rabbiting on about something trivial" - British informal meaning to talk continuously about unimportant matters)
Past Simple: rabbited (e.g., "We rabbited all afternoon.")
Past Participle: rabbited (e.g., "They have rabbited extensively in this area.")
Adjective (related forms):
Rabbity: Resembling or characteristic of a rabbit (e.g., "The meat had a slightly rabbity taste.").
Leporine: A more formal or technical adjective meaning "of, relating to, or resembling a rabbit or hare." (e.g., "Leporine features are common in this species.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: A small, burrowing mammal of the family Leporidae, characterized by long ears, a short fluffy tail, long hind legs, and a tendency to move by hopping. Often kept as a pet or hunted for food and fur.
Synonyms: bunny (informal), coney (archaic/poetic), lagomorph (scientific classification)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it refers to a specific animal; broader categories might include "predator" or "carnivore" in the context of the food chain, but these aren't true antonyms of the animal itself.)
Definition: (Informal) A person who is timid, easily frightened, or prone to running away from danger or confrontation.
Synonyms: coward, poltroon, chicken (informal), wimp (informal), faint-heart
Antonyms: brave person, hero, daredevil, lion (figurative), intrepid person
Definition: (British informal) In cricket, a very poor batsman, typically one who gets out quickly and contributes little to the score.
Synonyms: tail-ender (often, but not always a rabbit), novice batsman, duffer (informal)
Antonyms: star batsman, prolific scorer, century-maker, anchor
Verb
Definition: To hunt or trap rabbits.
Synonyms: hunt, trap, snare, capture
Antonyms: release, free, protect, conserve
Definition: (Of a rabbit) To move or burrow like a rabbit; to run away quickly, often to a place of perceived safety.
Synonyms: scurry, bolt, dart, flee, burrow, dig
Antonyms: stand still, remain, emerge, confront
Definition: (British informal, often with "on" or "away") To talk excessively, continuously, and often about trivial or uninteresting subjects.
Synonyms: prattle, blather, chatter, jabber, ramble, drone on, waffle (British informal)
Antonyms: be quiet, listen, hush, concisely speak, shut up (informal)
Adjective
Definition: (Often in compound forms like "rabbit hutch" or "rabbit warren") Of or relating to rabbits; designed for or characteristic of rabbits.
Synonyms: leporine, lagomorphic
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; depends on the context of what is being described as not rabbit-related.)
Definition: (Figurative, often "rabbity") Resembling a rabbit, especially in appearance, such as having a timid look, long front teeth, or twitching nose.
Synonyms: timid-looking, buck-toothed, twitchy
Antonyms: bold-looking, lion-like, assertive (in demeanor)
Examples of Use
Here are several real-world examples of the word "rabbit" in use:
Books:
"‘Are you there, Pooh?’ ‘Yes!’ ‘Thought I might be wrong,’ said Pooh. ‘I thought it was Rabbit.’" (A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh, October 1926)
"Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it..." (Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, November 1865)
Newspapers:
"Hunters are reporting a good season for small game, including cottontail rabbit." (Local News, The Daily Gazette)
"The debate continued to rabbit on, with neither side willing to concede any ground." (Opinion section, The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Conservation efforts are underway to protect the endangered pygmy rabbit habitat in the Western United States." (Environmental News, National Geographic Online)
"Viral video shows a dog and rabbit playing together in an unlikely friendship." (Pet News, Bored Panda)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Why is a rabbit good luck? Because they have four feet." (From the film Con Air, May 1997)
Television: "Bugs Bunny, the iconic cartoon rabbit, is known for his catchphrase 'What's up, Doc?'" (Looney Tunes, first appearance July 1940)
Video Games: "Players must often outsmart or capture various wild animals, including quick-footed rabbits, to survive in the wilderness." (Red Dead Redemption 2, October 2018)
Music: "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" (From the song "I'm Late" sung by the White Rabbit in Disney's Alice in Wonderland, July 1951)
General Public Discourse:
"Did you see that rabbit dart across the road just now?" (Overheard conversation, May 2025)
"He's such a rabbit when it comes to public speaking; he just freezes up." (Informal discussion, February 2025)
"Stop rabbiting on about your holiday; we've heard it all before." (Casual conversation, November 2024)
"I'm going to rabbit tomorrow morning to clear some of the pests from the garden." (Enthusiast forum, July 2024)
10 Quotes Using Rabbit
"I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" (The White Rabbit, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, November 1865)
"The best way to catch a rabbit is to be a rabbit." (Richard Adams, Watership Down, November 1972)
"Run, rabbit, run, run, run! Don't give the farmer his fun, fun, fun!" (From the song "Run Rabbit Run" by Flanagan and Allen, October 1939)
"And the White Rabbit, he sent in a decorated rabbit to be the best man and stand between them." (E.B. White, Charlotte's Web, October 1952)
"Curiouser and curiouser!" cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English); "now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was! Good-bye, feet!" (Said as she followed the White Rabbit, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, November 1865)
"How delicious it is to see a fat, sassy rabbit on the loose!" (Bugs Bunny, Looney Tunes, first appearance July 1940)
"I could tell you that I love you like a rabbit loves to run, but that doesn't quite get the message across, does it?" (From the film Falling in Love, November 1984)
"Did you ever see a rabbit with a watch?" (Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, November 1865)
"When a man's running after a rabbit, he ain't thinking about the past, only the next step." (From the film The Shawshank Redemption, September 1994)
"I hate goodbyes. I hate them like a rabbit hates a fox." (From the television series Doctor Who, "Rose" episode, March 2005)
Etymology
The word "rabbit" has a fascinating journey through language!
Originally, the common English word for the adult furry creature we know as a rabbit was "cony" (pronounced similar to "money").
The word "rabbit" itself actually first appeared in English around the late 14th century (late 1300s), and at that time, it specifically referred to the young of the cony. So, you'd have an adult "cony" and a "rabbit" kit.
Where did "rabbit" come from? It's thought to have been borrowed from a northern French dialect word, likely something like "robette" (which was a smaller, cuter version of a word like "robbe"). This robbe word itself is of unknown origin, but it might have been connected to words about rubbing, possibly referring to how rabbits move or burrow.
Over time, especially by the 18th century, the word "cony" started to fall out of favor, partly because it sounded very similar to a vulgar slang term. So, "rabbit," which originally meant the baby, stepped in and became the general term for both young and adult animals we use today. It's a great example of how words can change their meaning and replace older terms over centuries!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Rabbit
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "rabbit":
Pull a rabbit out of a hat: To produce something unexpected or seemingly impossible, often as a solution to a problem.
Go down the rabbit hole: To enter into a complex, confusing, or bizarre situation or series of events that is difficult to escape from.
Rabbit's foot: A charm or token believed to bring good luck.
As mad as a March hare/rabbit: Completely insane or crazy (though "March hare" is more common).
Rabbit on: (British English, informal) To talk continuously and usually about trivial or uninteresting subjects.
A rabbit in the headlights: Someone who is suddenly frozen with fear or surprise, unable to move or react.
White rabbit: Often uttered repeatedly on the first day of the month for good luck (a superstition).
Rabbit punch: A quick, short blow to the back of the neck or head.
To run like a scared rabbit: To run very fast due to fear.
To breed like rabbits: To reproduce very quickly and in large numbers.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of rabbit from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
