hindquarter
Meaning
The back half of the body of a four-legged animal, including the two hind legs and the surrounding parts.
(often in plural, hindquarters) The rear part of an animal.
Structure
Usage
The veterinarian examined the horse's injured hindquarter.
The lion's powerful hindquarters propelled it forward in a sudden burst of speed.
The recipe calls for a hindquarter of lamb to be slow-roasted.
Etymology
The word 'hindquarter' is a transparent compound formed from two English elements of distinct origins. 'Hind' is a native English word from Old English, carrying the core meaning of "situated at the back," which it retains perfectly in the compound. 'Quarter' entered English via Old French from Latin quartus, meaning "fourth," originally referring to one of four equal parts. In the context of butchery and animal anatomy, 'quarter' evolved to mean a major section or region of the body, not strictly a mathematical fourth. The logic of the compound is therefore straightforwardly descriptive: it names the "back section" of an animal. This term is most commonly used in the plural form 'hindquarters' to refer collectively to the rear legs, hips, and associated musculature.
Analysis
hind: From Old English hindan (from behind, at the back), related to Old English hinder (behind). Its functional role is to specify location. quarter: From Old French quartier, from Latin quartarius (a fourth part), from quartus (fourth). Its functional role is to denote a section or region.