breech

noun

ˈbrēch 

1

breeches ˈbri-chəz 

 also  ˈbrē-

plural

a

: short pants covering the hips and thighs and fitting snugly at the lower edges at or just below the knee

wearing riding breeches

b

: pants

2

a

: the hind end of the body : buttocks

b

medical : breech presentation

also : a fetus that is presented with the buttocks first

3

: the part of a firearm at the rear of the barrel (see barrel entry 1 sense 3a)

Did you know?

Into the breech or the breach?

If you are about to provide some much-needed assistance in a situation do you get ready to step (or leap, or jump) into the breach or the breech? The former. The sense of breach this expression applies to is “a gap (as in a wall) made by battering.” Breech, on the other hand, refers most often to a part of a rifle (near the rear of the barrel), the buttocks, or short pants which cover the hips and thighs (this sense is always found used in the plural, breeches). You may, if you are in a state of undress, step into your breeches before you step into the breach, but you would never step into your breaches before stepping into the breech.

Synonyms

• backside
• behind
• booty [slang]
• bootie
• bottom
• bum
• buns
• butt
• buttocks
• caboose
• can
• cheeks
• derriere
• derrière
• duff
• fanny
• fundament
• hams
• haunches
• heinie [slang]
• hunkers
• keister [slang]
• keester
• nates
• posterior
• rear
• rear end
• rump
• seat
• tail
• tail end
• tush [slang]

Examples of breech in a Sentence

plant yourselves on your breeches on that bench and listen to what I have to say

the mounted riders look striking in their red coats and white breeches

Recent Examples on the Web

The biggest question mark appears to be at quarterback where talented but untested J.J. McCarthy will step into the breech. —Steve Silverman, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Grant termination used to be a much rarer occurrence, reserved for more extreme circumstances such as some kind of ethical breech or an agency running out of money. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025

The flowers along the hike include trout lily and Dutchman’s breeches, a district news release said. —Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025

Bear’s breeches are indigenous to North Africa and southern Europe. —Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, breeches, from Old English brēc, plural of brōc leg covering; akin to Old High German bruoh breeches, Latin braca pants

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing breech

• breech delivery
• breech presentation

Rhymes for breech

• beach
• beech
• bleach
• breach
• each
• keech
• leach
• leech
• meech
• peach
• preach
• reach

Kids Definition

breech

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrēch

1

breeches

ˈbrich-əz,

 also  ˈbrē-chəz

plural

a

: short trousers fitting snugly at or just below the knee

b

: pants sense 1

2

: buttock sense 2a

3

: the part of a gun at the rear of the barrel

breech

2 of 2 adjective

: involving or being a fetus in which the buttocks or legs rather than the head are situated to emerge first through the birth canal

a breech delivery

breech adverb

Medical Definition

breech

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrēch 

1

: the hind end of the body : buttocks

2

: breech presentation

also : a fetus that is presented at the uterine cervix buttocks or legs first

breech

2 of 2 adverb

: in the manner of a breech delivery or breech presentation

her children were born breech

—Laura Cunningham

the baby birthed breech

—Jayne Anne Phillips