Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hunch

/hʌnt͡ʃ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.07 in modern English

Syllables: hunch
IPA: /hʌnt͡ʃ/

13

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A hump; a protuberance.

noun

A stooped or curled posture; a slouch.

noun

A theory, idea, or guess; an intuitive impression that something will happen.

noun

A hunk; a lump; a thick piece.

noun

A push or thrust, as with the elbow.

verb

To bend the top of one's body forward while raising one's shoulders.

Intransitive verb

verb

To raise (one's shoulders) (while lowering one's head or bending the top of one's body forward); to curve (one's body) forward (sometimes followed by up).

Transitive verb

verb

To walk (somewhere) while hunching one's shoulders.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"The old man walked with a hunch."
"I have a hunch they'll find a way to solve the problem."
"I've learned to trust my hunches."
"a hunch of bread"
""The greedy little bastards! They had a 'unch of bread each when I 'ad my dinner.""
"Don't hunch over your computer if you want to avoid neck problems."

Etymology

Assibilated variant of hunk, of uncertain origin. Alternatively, a derivative of hump, via an earlier Middle English *hunche, *humpchin, from *hump + -chin, -chen (diminutive suffix), equivalent to hump + -kin. In the sense of an intuitive impression, said to be from the old gambling superstition that it brings luck to touch the hump of a hunchback.

Word Breakdown

Suffix: -chen

Usage

Inflected Forms

hunches (plural) hunches (present, singular) hunching (participle, present) hunched (participle, past) hunched (past)

Derived Forms

hunchbacked hunchless unhunch huncher hunchback

Phrases

hunch cuddy hunch hunch over play a hunch play one's hunch follow one's hunch

Synonyms

inkling slouch stoop lean elbow nudge hint clue

Rhymes With

lunch bunch punch crunch brunch munch scrunch eat someone's lunch dunch trunch wunch cunch

Questions

How do you pronounce hunch?: The recorded pronunciation is /hʌnt͡ʃ/.
What does hunch mean?: A hump; a protuberance.
Where does hunch come from?: Assibilated variant of hunk, of uncertain origin. Alternatively, a derivative of hump, via an earlier Middle English *hunche, *humpchin, from *hump + -chin, -chen (diminutive suffix), equivalent to hump + -kin. In the sense of an intuitive impression, said to be from the old gambling superstition that it brings luck to touch the hump of a hunchback.

How to pronounce hunch

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