hunk

The word 'hunk' entered English in the early 19th century, originally in a U.S. dialect meaning 'a large piece or slice'. It is believed to be borrowed from Dutch or Flemish 'honk', which meant a goal or a home base in a game. The semantic connection likely evolved from the idea of a fixed, substantial object (like a goal post) to a solid, substantial piece of something. The informal meaning referring to an attractive, well-built man emerged in the mid-20th century, extending the sense of a substantial, solid piece to a person's physique.

This word is considered a simplex. It is a loanword, likely from Flemish or Dutch 'honk', meaning 'a post, a goal, a home base'. Its entry into English and semantic shift makes internal segmentation into meaningful English morphemes not feasible.