crotch

American  

[kroch] / krɒtʃ /

noun

crotches plural

1. a forking or place of forking, as of the human body between the legs.

2. the part of a pair of trousers, panties, or the like, formed by the joining of the two legs.

3. a piece of material serving to form a juncture between the legs of trousers, panties, etc.

4. a forked piece, part, support, etc., as a staff with a forked top.

5. Billiards.

   1. an area 4½ inches (11.4 centimeters) square at each corner of a billiard table.

   2. the situation in which both balls to be struck by the cue ball are within this area.

6. Nautical. crutch.

7. the area of a tree at which a main branch joins the trunk.

8. the wood from such an area; crotchwood.

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crotch British  

/ krɒtʃ /

noun

1. Also called (Brit): crutch. 

   1. the angle formed by the inner sides of the legs where they join the human trunk

   2. the human external genitals or the genital area

   3. the corresponding part of a pair of trousers, pants, etc

2. a forked region formed by the junction of two members

3. a forked pole or stick

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• crotched
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• crotches
  plural

Etymology

Origin of crotch

First recorded in 1530–40; variant of crutch

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crotch crotches

That he, upon getting punched in the crotch by Johnny Cage, congratulates the latter on having stellar technique makes about as much sense as anything else on offer here.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

He spotted a strangler fig and described how it sprouted from a seed that found purchase in the high crotch of another species, slowly sent roots to the ground, and ultimately choked its host.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 23, 2024

Case in point: Raleigh took a foul ball directly in the crotch late in Tuesday’s game, the second time that’s happened in the past week or so.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2023

After Spain's 1-0 victory over England at Sydney's Stadium Australia on 20 August, Rubiales also grabbed his crotch while celebrating in the VIP area, with Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter standing nearby.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2023

About forty feet away, however, I found a dried one in the crotch of a tree, stuck there by a squirrel and forgotten.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

The country was reeling from the national shame of being caught illegally modifying the crotches of ski jumping suits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026

Just people jumping up and down holding their crotches and yelling words too hard to understand, even with subtitles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2022

The balance he struck between finely proportioned trousers, with their slightly dropped crotches, offset by light, tidy silk bombers or unlined jackets spoke of a reinvigorated Armani.

From New York Times ● Jun. 23, 2021

Wearing my pants just below my belly keeps them in place, but is less than flattering and results in a lot of torn crotches.

From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2014

She dropped the clipboard and faked a punch toward their crotches.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia