What does hunk mean?
A hunk is a solid lump or large piece, especially of food: it may be a hunk of bread, cheese, or meat. The word can also describe a large, muscular man and, in informal English, often carries the additional sense that he is sexually attractive. This latter meaning is common in casual speech, entertainment, and descriptions of fictional characters, where it may range from fond and playful to objectifying. The older sense of a bulky or clumsy man is dated. Because “hunk” is shorter and more emphatic than words such as “piece” or “lump,” it often conveys a sense of size, solidity, and informality. The word is understood in both British and American English, although the attractive-man sense is especially associated with contemporary informal usage.
nounA lump or large piece of something, especially food. In informal use, it can also mean a physically large or muscular man, sometimes with the implication that he is sexually attractive.
- A lump, chunk, or large piece of something, especially food.
- Informally, a large, muscular, or sexually attractive man.
"She cut herself a generous hunk of bread and sat down to read the newspaper."
"He took a hunk of bread from the table and passed the basket around."
"The novel's hero is described as a rugged and somewhat unconventional hunk."
The plural is used for separate pieces or portions, as well as for multiple men described informally as hunks.
"She divided the cheese into several thick hunks."
From a solid piece of bread to a characteristically swaggering “hunk,” one modest word has made its way from the pantry to the language of attraction.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hunk come from?
The exact origin of “hunk” is uncertain. It has been used in English since the early modern period for a lump or piece, and its modern informal use for an attractive, muscular man developed much later from the related sense of a large or bulky man.
How hunk is actually used
The sense for an attractive, muscular man is informal and can sound playful, admiring, or mildly objectifying. The older sense meaning a large, clumsy man is now dated and uncommon.
Easily confused with hunk
A chunk is usually a small or medium-sized piece that has been cut or broken off, whereas a hunk often suggests a large, solid portion.
A lump can be any irregular mass or swelling, while a hunk more commonly suggests a substantial piece, especially of food.