bung
/ˈbʌŋ/noun, verb, adjective
bung is spelled B-U-N-G: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,230th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, bung means “A stopper, alternative to a cork, often made of rubber, used to prevent fluid passing through the neck of a bottle, vat, a hole in a vessel etc” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of bung is bungs.
How many letters and syllables are in bung?
| Letters | 4: B-U-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 48,230th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is bung?
Bung appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,230th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce bung?
- /ˈbʌŋ/
- /bʊŋ/
- /bʊŋɡ/
Bung has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-bung.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with bung
Also written: bong.
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of bung
- bungs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- bunging participle, present
- bunged participle, past
- bong
- bonge
- boung
- bounge
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does bung mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A stopper, alternative to a cork, often made of rubber, used to prevent fluid passing through the neck of a bottle, vat, a hole in a vessel etc.
- 2
The cecum or anus, especially of livestock but sometimes (slang) of humans.
- 3
slangA bribe.
- 4
The orifice in the bilge of a cask through which it is filled; bung-hole.
- 5
obsoleteslangA sharper or pickpocket.
- 6
UKobsoleteslangThe landlord of a public house.
- 7
UKobsoleteA purse.
Oft thsi crew of mates met together, and said there was no hope of nipping the boung because he held open his gowne so wide, and walked in such an open place.
verb
- 1
To plug, as with a bung.
- 2
AustraliaUKinformalTo put, throw, or place something without care; to chuck.
- 3
To batter, bruise; to cause to bulge or swell.
- 4
To pass a bribe to (someone).
adjective
- 1
AustraliaslangBroken, not in working order; damaged; injured.
[…] My right eye has gone bung, and my left one is pretty dicky.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Bung in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | bonde, bondon, bouchon , boucher, bondonner |
| German | Stöpsel, Korken |
| Portuguese | batoque |
| Spanish | tapón, corcho |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does bung come from?
From Medieval Dutch bonge, bonne or bonghe (“stopper”), or perhaps from French bonde, which may itself be either of Germanic origin or from Proto-Celtic *bunda–either way probably from puncta (“hole”), the feminine singular form of Latin punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō (“pierce into, prick”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).