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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The nocturnal animal might be seen wandering aimlessly in daylight or standing on its hind legs, seemingly unbothered by humans and other animals. Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024 Da Vinci famously made the king an automaton in the shape of a lion that reared on its hind legs and roared! Alexandra Zagalsky, theweek, 1 Nov. 2024 The blade is a spring modeled after the hind leg of a cheetah. Jothy Rosenberg, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 When standing on their hind legs, they can be easily mistaken for a bipedal, humanlike figure. Scott Travers, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hind 

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 28 Nov. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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