haunched

Haunched is an adjective and the past participle of the noun haunch. The central sense of haunch refers to the hindquarters of an animal, typically the hip and thigh region. In culinary usage, a haunch denotes the hind leg, and the phrase haunch of venison is a familiar example. The adjective haunched can describe something that has or resembles a haunch, such as a body part or structural element considered for its hindquarter-like shape or position.

In everyday language, haunched is used in idiomatic expressions such as sit on one’s haunches, meaning to sit back on the heels with the buttocks resting on the ground or on the heels. This sense emphasizes a posture rather than anatomy.

Beyond meat and posture, haunch also appears in technical contexts. In carpentry and structural engineering, a haunch can refer to a thickened or projecting portion of a beam, arch, or joint that helps resist bending or transfer loads. A haunched joint or haunched mortise-and-tenon joint is a type of construction feature that incorporates a haunch to improve stability.

Etymology traces haunch to Old French hanche, meaning hip or flank, reflecting the term’s original association with the hindquarter region. The word has since broadened to describe related anatomical, culinary, and engineering concepts, all connected by the idea of a hindquarter or a projecting, supportive portion.