haunch

noun

ˈhȯnch How to pronounce haunch (audio)
ˈhänch
1
b
: hindquarter sense 2
usually used in plural
2
3
: either side of an arch between the springing and the crown
Phrases
on one's haunches
: in a squatting position

Examples of haunch in a Sentence

squatted down on her haunches to get a better shot of the ducks with her camera
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The muscles on the haunches of the poor animal quivered and jerked from the exertion. Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025 The dog, unable to climb after the varmint, stood on his haunches with his front paws resting on the tree and howled loudly. Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025 The human tongue, the powerful buckteeth that never stopped growing, the giant muscular haunches and posterior, and these dark-colored paws, partly webbed because the capybara is a semiaquatic creature. Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 The cat went berserk, grabbing with its front claws and raking with its rear, in the way all felines use their haunches to eviscerate prey. Malcolm Brooks Malcolm Hillgartner Krish Seenivasan Zak Mouton, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for haunch

Word History

Etymology

Middle English haunche, from Anglo-French hanche, haunche, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch hanke haunch

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of haunch was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Haunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haunch. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

haunch

noun
ˈhȯnch How to pronounce haunch (audio)
ˈhänch
1
b
: hindquarter sense 2
usually used in plural
2

More from Merriam-Webster on haunch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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