hind

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈhīnd 

plural hinds also hind

1

chiefly British : the female of the red deer compare hart

2

: any of various spotted groupers (especially genus Epinephelus)

hind

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

: a British farm assistant

2

archaic : rustic

hind

3 of 3

adjective

: of or forming the part that follows or is behind : rear

the dog's hind legs

Synonyms

Adjective

• aft
• after
• back
• hinder
• hindmost
• posterior
• rear
• rearward

Examples of hind in a Sentence

Adjective

the frog's long hind legs

the hawk's reddish hind feathers

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The bear heard us, lifted his head, stood up, sat down, scratched his chin with a hind paw, then got back on his feet and went on eating. —Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

The nocturnal animal might be seen wandering aimlessly in daylight or standing on its hind legs, seemingly unbothered by humans and other animals. —Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024

Da Vinci famously made the king an automaton in the shape of a lion that reared on its hind legs and roared! —Alexandra Zagalsky, theweek, 1 Nov. 2024

The blade is a spring modeled after the hind leg of a cheetah. —Jothy Rosenberg, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German hinta hind, Greek kemas young deer

Noun (2)

Middle English hine servant, farmhand, from Old English hīna, genitive of hīwan, plural, members of a household; akin to Old High German hīwo spouse, Latin civis fellow citizen

Adjective

Middle English, probably back-formation from Old English hinder, adverb, behind; akin to Old High German hintar, preposition, behind

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hind

• hind wing
• rock hind
• talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey

Kids Definition

hind

1 of 2 noun

ˈhīnd 

plural hinds also hind

chiefly British

: a female red deer

hind

2 of 2 adjective

: located behind : rear

hind legs

Etymology

Noun

Old English hind "female red deer"

Adjective

probably from Old English hinder (adverb) "behind"