Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Located at or near the back of something, especially an animal: This is the primary meaning of "hind" as an adjective. It describes something positioned toward the rear.
   • Posterior: A more formal term for being situated behind.

2. Noun:

   • A female deer, especially a mature female red deer: In zoology, "hind" specifically refers to the adult female of certain deer species, most notably the red deer.
   • (Archaic) A farm laborer or rustic person: This is an old-fashioned and now rarely used meaning.
   • Any of several spotted marine fishes resembling groupers: In ichthyology, it refers to certain types of fish.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The horse raised its hind legs. (The horse raised its rear legs.)
  • The hind wheels of the cart were stuck. (The back wheels of the cart were stuck.)

• Noun (animal):

  • A hind and her fawn grazed quietly in the meadow. (A female deer and her young grazed quietly in the meadow.)
  • The hunter tracked a large red deer hind. (The hunter tracked a large adult female red deer.)

• Noun (archaic - person):

  • The hind worked the fields from dawn till dusk. (The farm laborer worked the fields from dawn till dusk.)

• Noun (fish):

  • We caught a spotted hind while fishing near the reef. (We caught a spotted fish of the hind type while fishing near the reef.)

Advanced Usage

• "Talk the hind legs off a donkey" (Idiom): To talk excessively and tirelessly.

  • Once she starts about her travels, she can talk the hind legs off a donkey. (Once she starts talking about her travels, she can talk endlessly.)

• In compound anatomical terms: While "hind" itself is an adjective, it is commonly combined with body parts. (Note: These are compound terms, not the word "hind" in isolation).

  • hindquarters: The rear part of a quadruped animal.
  • hindbrain: The lower part of the brainstem.

Variants and Related Words

• Hinder (verb): To delay or obstruct. (Note: This is a different word with a different meaning, but it is etymologically related).
  • Bad weather may hinder our progress.
• Hindmost (adjective): Farthest to the back; last.
  • The hindmost runner finally crossed the finish line.

Synonyms

• Adjective: back, rear, posterior, aft (nautical).
• Noun (deer): doe (though "doe" is more general for female deer/rabbits, and "hind" is specific to larger species like red deer).

Antonyms

• Adjective: fore, front, anterior.

Related Phrases

• Hind leg: The back leg of an animal. (This is a common compound phrase using the adjective "hind").
  • The dog scratched its ear with a hind leg.
• Hind sight: Understanding of a situation only after it has happened. (This is the compound word "hindsight", not the adjective "hind").
  • In hindsight, I should have taken the job.

Adjective

1. located at or near the back of an animal
   • back (or hind) legs
   • the hinder part of a carcass

Noun

1. a female deer, especially an adult female red deer
2. any of several mostly spotted fishes that resemble groupers