British Authors

adding to what has been said previously-

As a British/Irish gal living in East Anglia (it's complicated) I try to use words that are understandable by all and anything that might be a little outside the common ground of American TV/Films I try to explain in brackets.

Personally my favourite descriptive words for Bottom are :-

Backside - it does what it says on the tin
Behind - ditto
Rear - ditto

I don't like, just because I don't like how the words sound :-
Butt
Caboose
Bottom
Sit-a-pon (very old fashioned think prim little old ladies)
Ass
Arse
Buttocks
I must admit I don't really even like the word bum in my writing, and when I refer to someone getting their thighs slapped I mean the backs of them - like some Mother's used to do often it seemed in the 1970's. I must admit I know from experience how much the **************** sting!

Maybe I'm a prude, I don't know, but one thing I am going try as an experiment is trying out other words for Bottom as found in Roget's Thesaurus - I am sure there are other thesauruses(?) available I just know the name of this one so sue me!

Equally I find it amusing that American's call Bum Bags 'Fanny Packs' because fanny in British English means tbe front of a woman's private area. I suppose that might be why Fanny was used as a female name in some Carry On Films (PhilK - can you confirm?)

I'll shut up now.
pim

Other choices (for variety, or to be used as by certain characters, and not necessarily my favorites):

Rear end
Hindquarters
Hind end
Hiney (or heinie)
Back porch
Booty
Tail
Tush
Keister
Seat
Rump
Buns
Tuchis
Derriere
Duff
Posterior

Isn't the English language rich when it comes to our favorite topic? There would be a similarly lengthy list of terms for "spank."

It is interesting, though, that some of these words "press buttons" for some of us, but not others. It can be very personal.

You could add:
Haunches
Fundament
Jacksie
Cheeks - (usually specified as Bottom-cheeks or Rear-cheeks)

And descriptive terms such as:
Orb
Globe
Moon
Peach (other fruits and veg are available)!

I do get a bit fed up when writers descend to using "glowing orbs" and "crimson moons" and suchlike becasue they think they have to keep using different words.

I think it was Kilahara himself who coined "pillows of pulchritude" which is also going a bit far!

More down to earth, "BTM" was common in my youth, but I'm guessing it has fallen out of fashion lately. Dylan Thomas used it memorably in Under Milk Wood:

"Learn him with a slipper on his BTM!"

AlanBarr

Oh yes, I remember BTM. Ageing myself a little, in the Marmalade Atkins books/TV series, they talked about getting smacked on the BTM.

In my childhood/teens, adults would say bottom, which made children giggle, children said bum, and then at some point in teenage it was thought more sophisticated to say arse. My grandparents said tuchus, but I don’t think most of my friends would know what that means so I tend not to say it except at home.

"Arse" was definitely the norm at my secondary school. The following joke was very popular amongst boys who smoked:

"Have you got a match?"
"Yeah, my arse and your face!"

Thinking anon I have come up with another word for bottom that i don't mind (or 2 words)
Rear - its definitely a Ronseal word (look it up!)
Tush - its cute and seems light-hearted somehow.

I think in my childhood it was called a bum - I'm in my early 50's and grew up in a lower middle class family with working class Grandparents. I grew up in Newham then Redbridge where we moved to when I was 8, both London Boroughs - East of London.

pim

As a Londoner, surely you should be true to your roots and use "arris"?

For our non-English readers the above post might need some explanation:

Arris = Arry Stottle (the well-known Greek Cockney stallholder).

Arry Stottle = Glass and Bottle

Glass = Arse!