hind

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈhīnd 

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

Synonyms of hind

Adjective

• rear
• back

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

One of her hind legs dragged behind her. —Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025

Clinical signs often start in one hind limb and then progress to include both, and may include difficulty rising, hind limb weakness, incoordination, muscle loss, and scuffed toenails on hind limbs. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

Rabbits, with their large hind paws, can stand atop the snow to reach higher portions of tree trunks. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025

Unlike bears and big cats, which kill their prey and then consume it, canines oftentimes tire their prey, bring it down, and start feasting on and around the hind quarters while the animal is still alive. —Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025

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)

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hind

• hind wing
• rock hind
• talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey

Rhymes for hind

• bind
• blind
• dined
• find
• fined
• grind
• kind
• lined
• mind
• mined
• pined
• rind

Kids Definition

hind

1 of 2 noun

ˈhīnd 

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"