Why Is a Donkey Called an Ass?

A donkey and an ass aren’t quite the same thing. An ass is a smaller relative of the horse, with longer ears and a shorter mane. A donkey is a domesticated ass. So all donkeys are asses, but not all asses are donkeys. The word “ass” is much older than the word “donkey.” The Latin word for the ass was asinus. This word became ane

Ass is the proper name for a donkey. Their scientific name is Equus Asinus. The word ass is used for donkeys in the bible (King James version). It is only in modern times that the word ass takes on slang overtones. The word donkey was invented much later.