paunch English · revision 1369

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɔːnt͡ʃ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|paunche]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|xno|panche]] and Old French ''pance'' “belly”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[la|pantex|t=belly, bowels]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) possibly related to ''pānus'' “swelling”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is related to Spanish ''panza'' and Italian ''pancia''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The belly or abdomen (1373–75).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Earlier it named plate armour worn to protect the belly (early 14th century).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline notes that it was extended to the maw or gullet, usually in contexts of greed,^(Etymonline) and the OED records the sense of the first stomach of a ruminant, the rumen (about 1420).^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) As said of people, it now usually means a large, protruding belly.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1186 – in a surname.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * early 14th century – belly armour.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1373–75 – the belly.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * about 1420 – the rumen of a ruminant.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1530 – verb, to stab in the belly.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The belly, especially a large and protruding one; a [[potbelly]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The first stomach of a [[ruminant]]; the [[rumen]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[paunched]]

+ * [[paunchy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}