What does hind mean?
Hind has two established uses. As an adjective, it describes something at the back or toward the rear, as in 'the hind legs' of an animal, and it can also mean remote in time or position, as in 'the hind end of the procession.' It is often more literary or specialized than the simpler words back, rear, and later. As a noun, a hind is a female red deer, a term particularly associated with deer hunting and rural wildlife traditions. The word can therefore connect ideas of physical position, chronological distance, and animal anatomy. Although some modern speakers use it chiefly in fixed expressions, it remains useful in descriptions of animal movement, the rear of a group, and formally styled written English. Its unusual range also makes it memorable: one simple word can refer both to what comes behind and to a particular female deer.
Situated at the back or toward the rear; also, remote in time or position.
"The cart's hind wheels sank into the soft ground."
The temporal sense, meaning 'later' or 'remote,' is now chiefly literary.
A female red deer.
"A mature hind stood at the edge of the woodland clearing."
Common in British and American hunting and wildlife terminology.
The standard plural of the noun meaning a female red deer.
"A group of hinds moved through the forest."
The same word points to the rear of an animal and names the female of the red deer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hind come from?
The word comes from Old English hind, meaning 'back' or 'rear,' and was inherited from a Germanic root associated with the hind or back. The female-deer sense developed within the same Germanic vocabulary. Related forms include behind, from a compound meaning 'at the back,' and hinder, from a Germanic word meaning 'to keep back or make late.' The modern adjective and noun senses preserve two branches of this older vocabulary.
Related word forms
How hind is actually used
The adjective is common in formal and literary contexts, especially in phrases such as 'hind leg,' 'hindquarters,' and 'hindmost.' The noun is especially associated with British and Irish red-deer hunting terminology, although it is also understood in American English.
Easily confused with hind
Hind is an adjective or a noun, whereas hinder is a verb meaning to delay or impede someone or something.