# hunch

> English word · Noun · IPA /hʌnt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #26,466

## Definitions
1. A hump; a protuberance.
2. A stooped or curled posture; a slouch.
3. A theory, idea, or guess; an intuitive impression that something will happen.
4. A hunk; a lump; a thick piece.
5. A push or thrust, as with the elbow.

## Etymology
Assibilated variant of hunk, of uncertain origin.
Alternatively, a derivative of hump, via an earlier Middle English *hunche, *humpchin, from *hump + -chin, -chen (diminutive suffix), equivalent to hump + -kin. In the sense of an intuitive impression, said to be from the old gambling superstition that it brings luck to touch the hump of a hunchback.

## Easily confused with
- **hunt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hunt)
- **hung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hung)
- **hush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hush)
- **hunk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hunk)
- **Huns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-huns)
- **hunts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hunts)
- **hutch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hutch)
- **hunky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hunky)
- **hunched** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunch-vs-hunched)
- **huh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/huh-vs-hunch)
- **hun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hun-vs-hunch)
- **Hugh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hugh-vs-hunch)
- **huck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/huck-vs-hunch)
- **hence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-hunch)
- **hatch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hatch-vs-hunch)
- **hitch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hitch-vs-hunch)
- **Hunan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hunan-vs-hunch)
- **hooch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hooch-vs-hunch)

## Common misspellings (8)
`hhunch`, `hnuch`, `hucnh`, `huncch`, `hunchh`, `hunhc`, `hunnch`, `uhnch`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hunch