A rabbit is a small, soft-furred animal with long ears and a short tail that often lives in burrows and eats plants. People sometimes keep rabbits as pets or raise them for meat and fur.
The word comes from Middle English “rabet,” a diminutive of “rab,” influenced by Old French “rabotte.” Earlier English speakers used the word “coney” for rabbit, but “rabbit” gradually replaced it.
Older English speakers would have called this animal a “coney,” and that word shows up in old books and place names. “Rabbit” originally meant a young rabbit, but it took over as the general word, which is why “bunny” could easily fit in as another cute, young-sounding term.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.