haunch

American  

[hawnch, hahnch] / hɔntʃ, hɑntʃ /

noun

1. the hip.

2. the fleshy part of the body about the hip.

3. a hindquarter of an animal.

4. the leg and loin of an animal, used for food.

5. 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.

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haunch British  

/ hɔːntʃ /

noun

1. the human hip or fleshy hindquarter of an animal, esp a horse or similar quadruped

2. the leg and loin of an animal, used for food

   a haunch of venison

3. Also called: hance.  architect the part of an arch between the impost and the apex

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Other Word Forms

• haunched adjective
• haunchless adjective

Etymology

Origin of haunch

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

Example Sentences

It’s unlikely that anyone was looking at a gray wolf tearing a chunk from a bison haunch and saying “That’d make a great dog.”

From Slate • Feb. 17, 2021

She weeps when a swan walks out of a river and sits down beside her, haunch to haunch, like a large, companionable dog.

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2020

A spiral-sliced haunch of ham sheathed with fresh yellow rings is a staple of my Christmas dinner.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2019

It was bouncing around a little, but I was able to give it a shot in the haunch muscle.”

From Washington Times • Oct. 21, 2018

And he was missing a bit of fur from his left haunch, where a patch of skin showed through, the same shade as the wad of bubble gum stuck to his tail.

From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers