hind

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural hinds also hind
1
chiefly British : the female of the red deer compare hart
2
: any of various spotted groupers (especially genus Epinephelus)

hind

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a British farm assistant
2
archaic : rustic

hind

3 of 3

adjective

: of or forming the part that follows or is behind : rear
the dog's hind legs

Examples of hind in a Sentence

Adjective the frog's long hind legs the hawk's reddish hind feathers
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Before, in the early 20th century, scientists thought this dinosaur had meaty, long hind legs like a Tyrannasaurus rex and didn’t venture into the water. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 In addition to showing off tricks like barking on command and sitting up on his hind legs, Messi was being asked to recreate his iconic playing dead scene from the movie. Jenelle Riley, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024 The sweet senior pup found herself being rescued by an AHS Emergency Animal Medical Technician™ when she was found limping with a hurt hind leg. The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 The dog grabbed the agent’s left arm and stood on his hind legs. Peter Baker, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024 There will be six dogs with special needs, including pug terrier Riddle, who has the neurological condition cerebellar hypoplasia, and Mr. Bean, a papillon who has only two hind legs. Bryan Alexander, The Courier-Journal, 11 Jan. 2024 For a touch of added flair, the robot can also briefly stand up on its two hind legs. Popular Science, 6 Feb. 2024 Kodiaks are larger than brown or grizzly bears, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and male bears of the species can be over 10 feet tall when standing on their hind legs. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 1 Feb. 2024 Powerful hind legs Kangaroos are known for their powerful hind legs, which are adapted for hopping. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hind.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German hinta hind, Greek kemas young deer

Noun (2)

Middle English hine servant, farmhand, from Old English hīna, genitive of hīwan, plural, members of a household; akin to Old High German hīwo spouse, Latin civis fellow citizen

Adjective

Middle English, probably back-formation from Old English hinder, adverb, behind; akin to Old High German hintar, preposition, behind

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hind was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hind

Cite this Entry

“Hind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hind. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hind

1 of 2 noun
plural hinds also hind
chiefly British
: a female red deer

hind

2 of 2 adjective
: located behind : rear
hind legs
Etymology

Noun

Old English hind "female red deer"

Adjective

probably from Old English hinder (adverb) "behind"

More from Merriam-Webster on hind

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