# paunch

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɔːnt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #92,983

## Definitions
1. The first compartment of the stomach of a ruminant, the rumen.
2. The contents of this stomach in a slaughtered animal, viewed as food or a byproduct.
3. The belly of a human, especially a large, fat protruding one.
4. A paunch mat.
5. The thickened rim of a bell, struck by the clapper.

## Etymology
From Middle English paunche, from Old Northern French panche, Old French pance (French panse), from Latin pantex.

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