Haunch
/hɔːntʃ/noun
The hip, rump, or upper part of the thigh, especially in animals or in the human body.
Did you know?Haunch entered English through Old French and ultimately traces back to a Germanic word for the hip, showing how everyday anatomy terms often survived centuries of warfare, hunting, and butchery.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hankō
“Hip or hock; a bent joint”
Old English
OE
hanc
“The hip or bend of the leg”
Old French
OF
hanche
“Hip, haunch”
Middle English
ME
haunche
“Hip, thigh, hindquarter”
Modern English
English
haunch
“The hip, rump, or upper thigh”