haunch
English
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haunch
- /hɔːn(t)ʃ/ UK
- /hoːn(t)ʃ/ British, Southern, Standard
- /hɔn(t)ʃ/ US
- /hɑn(t)ʃ/ US, cot caught merger
- /hɔn(t)ʃ/ Scotland
Rhymes with -ɔːntʃ, -ɒntʃ
Where it comes from
From Middle English haunche, hanche, from Old French hanche, hance, anche (compare French hanche, Italian anca), from a Germanic source, probably Frankish *ankijā, from Proto-Germanic *ankijǭ (“joint; ankle”), from Proto-Indo-European *ang- (“joint; lith”). Cognate with Old High German ancha, encha, einka (“the leg; joint, bend”) (compare Old High German anchila, enchila (“ankle”), German Hanke (“haunch”), West Frisian hancke (“haunch”). More at ankle.
noun haunches · haunce · haunse · hanch · hance · hanse
- The area encompassing the upper thigh, hip and buttocks on one side of a human, primate, or quadruped animal, especially one that can sit on its hindquarters. But I had no time to pursue these reflections; for the gray horse came to the door, and made me a sign to follow him into the third room where I saw a very comely mare, together with a colt and foal, sitting on their haunches upon mats of straw, not unartfully made, and perfectly neat and clean.
- The loin and leg of a quadruped, especially when used as food. Now these are the Laws of the Jungle, and many and mighty are they; / But the head and the hoof of the Law and the haunch and the hump is—Obey!
- A squat vertical support structure.
- A jerked underhand throw.
verb haunches · haunching · haunched · haunce · haunse
- To provide with a haunch or supporting structure.
- To throw with an underhand movement.
Translations
Talk about this word "haunch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/haunch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. haunch. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/haunch "haunch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/haunch.Cite this
@misc{haunch_2026,
title = {haunch},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/haunch},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
