English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Yiddish תּחת (tokhes, buttocks), in turn from Hebrew תַּחַת (tákhat, buttocks).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (influenced by Litvish) /ˈtɒxəs/, (influenced by Poylish) /ˈtʊxəs/ (Many English speakers can’t pronounce the phoneme /x/ and commonly replace it here with /k/.)

Noun

tuchus (plural tuchuses or (humorous) tuchi)

  1. (slang, chiefly US) The buttocks, rear end, butt.
    • 2006, Howard Jacobson, Kalooki Nights, Vintage, published 2007, page 66:
      he sat on the top of mountains and read Wordsworth and Lenin aloud to extravagantly beautiful shikseh waitresses with golden pigtails down to their tocheses (no one ever said arse in this gathering, it was always toches) who repaid him with free Glühwein and he wasn't prepared to tell me what else.
    • 2012 February 20th, Sara Hess, Liz Friedman, “Man of the House”, in Colin Bucksey, director, House, season 8, episode 13, spoken by Gregory House and Joe Reese (Hugh Laurie and Jake Weber):
      House: You had a hot flash. Those guys kicked your guys hard enough to do lasting damage. You didn’t even look when presented with two reasonably attractive tuchi — yeah! I said it!
      Reese: I was listening to my doctor.
      House: People generally listen with their ears, leaving their eyes free to wander. I’m guessing that your testosterone level is just below Bieber [scil. Justin Bieber].
      via MD TV (channel name), “Low Testosterone Levels Transform Patient into a Better Man | House M.D. | MD TV” (YouTube video), 2:39–2:59

Derived terms