haunch

[ hawnch, hahnch ]
/ hɔntʃ, hɑntʃ /

noun

the hip.
the fleshy part of the body about the hip.
a hindquarter of an animal.
the leg and loin of an animal, used for food.
Architecture.
  1. either side of an arch, extending from the vertex or crown to the impost.
  2. the part of a beam projecting below a floor or roof slab.

Origin of haunch

1150–1200; Middle English haunche < Old French hanche < Germanic; compare Middle Dutch hanke haunch, hip, German Hanke haunch

OTHER WORDS FROM haunch

haunched, adjective haunch·less, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH haunch

haunch hunch

Example sentences from the Web for haunches

British Dictionary definitions for haunches

haunch
/ (hɔːntʃ) /

noun

the human hip or fleshy hindquarter of an animal, esp a horse or similar quadruped
the leg and loin of an animal, used for food a haunch of venison
Also called: hance architect the part of an arch between the impost and the apex

Derived forms of haunch

haunched, adjective

Word Origin for haunch

C13: from Old French hanche; related to Spanish, Italian anca, of Germanic origin; compare Low German hanke