- The term bunhuggerz is used widely in the running community to describe the particular running apparel that it refers to. It is a clothing item that is very revealing and worn only by high performance athletes or competitive athletes, mainly because you need the skills to back up this particular garment, as it is very revealing and unflattering and is not normally used outside of running.
Bunhuggerz
noun Blending and clipping
Bunhuggerz, n. are a small type of spandex shorts used in running, and running races. Closely resembles a bathing suit bottom, extremely unflattering usually brightly colored and as the word suggest fit quite snuggly to a persons bottom. They are worn mainly by female athletes. They have a tight waistline and band that is ideal for running as it remains in place at all times without riding up the lower half of the particpant.
Etymology : Bunhuggerz is a blending and clipping of the two words bun and huggers. Bun refers to the butt, and it comes from Old French, bugne and originally meant a swelling from a bump of the head, and later in the 1960's buns was used to refer to the male buttocks. Huggers, comes from the word hug and in this sense it means that the fabric is hugging the athletes butt, hug in this sense meaning to embrace and hold was first recorded in 1567 and was spelt as hugge, but 'hugga' to comfort comes from Old Norse.
Source : "So are you going to wear the blue bunhuggerz in the race today?" Conversation with running team, November 2007.
Last modified: 3 December 2008