noun

paunch

pawnch

Paunch (noun) means a protruding belly, especially a large one on a man. Example: “Years of beer and takeaways had left him with quite a paunch.”

noun

A protruding belly, especially a large one on a man.

"Years of beer and takeaways had left him with quite a paunch."

"He patted his paunch and laughed about the extra Christmas dinner."

The first stomach chamber of a cow or other cud-chewing animal (the rumen).

"The paunch breaks down tough plant fibre before the rest of digestion begins."

How to use paunch

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA big round belly, or (in animals) the first stomach compartment.

Common pairings

a beer paunch a growing paunch

Word forms

paunched past tense, paunches plural, paunches singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Years of beer and takeaways had left him with quite a _____.

Etymology

From Old French pance, going back to Latin pantex ("belly") — the same root that gives us "pancreas."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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bay window beer baby beer belly beer gut beer muscles Buddha belly corporation German goitre gorbelly Milwaukee goiter Molson muscle pooch

Related words

company dog Inc corporation enterprise pot proprietor doggy

Rhymes for paunch

launch staunch relaunch

See all rhymes for paunch →

Frequently asked questions

What does “paunch” mean?

The word “paunch” means a protruding belly, especially a large one on a man. In plain terms, a big round belly, or (in animals) the first stomach compartment.

How do you pronounce “paunch”?

“Paunch” is pronounced pawnch (/pɔːnt͡ʃ/ in IPA).

How do you use “paunch” in a sentence?

Here is “paunch” used in a sentence: “Years of beer and takeaways had left him with quite a paunch.”

What is another word for “paunch”?

Words with a similar meaning to “paunch” include bay window, beer baby, beer belly, beer gut, beer muscles and Buddha belly.

What part of speech is “paunch”?

“Paunch” is a noun.

Where does the word “paunch” come from?

The word “paunch” comes from Latin. From Old French pance, going back to Latin pantex ("belly") — the same root that gives us "pancreas.".

How many meanings does “paunch” have?

“Paunch” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a protruding belly, especially a large one on a man.

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