What does crouch mean?
To crouch is to lower the body close to the ground by bending the knees and drawing the torso downward, whether to hide from view, avoid danger, steady oneself, or prepare for sudden movement. The word works equally well as a verb ('she crouched behind the car') and as a noun describing the resulting posture ('he sprang from a crouch'). Crouch carries no strong positive or negative charge on its own; its connotation depends entirely on context. In suspenseful or military prose it suggests concealment and tension; in sports writing it signals explosive readiness, as in a sprinter's crouched start; in descriptions of animals it can imply either stealth or submission. Common collocations include 'crouch down', 'crouch behind', and 'in a crouch'. It should not be confused with 'couch', which names a piece of furniture. Related words include 'stoop', 'squat', and 'hunker down'.
To bend the knees and lower the body close to the ground, typically to hide, take shelter, or prepare for action.
"The cat crouched in the tall grass, watching the bird."
Often followed by directional phrases like 'behind', 'under', or 'down'; frequently implies intent rather than mere physical position.
A posture in which the knees are bent and the torso lowered close to the ground.
"From his crouch behind the barricade, he could see the whole street."
Rarely needed in practice; the noun form of crouch is usually discussed in the singular.
"The gymnast moved through a series of controlled crouches before leaping."
The same ancient Germanic root that gave us 'crouch' also gave us 'crook' — so every time someone bends into a crouch, they're literally making their body crooked.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crouch
'Crouch' derives from Middle English 'crouchen', borrowed from Old French 'crochier' (also 'cruochier'), meaning 'to bend' or 'to hook', itself formed from the Frankish/Germanic root '*krūk-', 'hook' or 'bend'. This same Germanic root underlies English words such as 'crook' and 'crutch', all sharing the sense of something bent or hooked. The word entered English during the medieval period and has remained stable in meaning since.
Related word forms
How crouch is actually used
Neutral register, common in both everyday speech and descriptive writing. Often carries connotations of hiding, fear, readiness, or athletic preparation depending on context. The phrase 'crouch down' is common in informal British usage; 'hunker down' is a frequent American alternative.
Easily confused with crouch
'Couch' is a noun for a piece of upholstered furniture (or a verb meaning to express something in a particular way), while 'crouch' means to bend low toward the ground.
'Squat' typically means sitting on one's heels with knees fully bent, while 'crouch' is a broader term for bending low that may involve only partial knee-bending.