Etymology From Middle English paunche, from Old Northern French panche, Old French pance (French panse), from Latin pantex.
1
The first compartment of the stomach of a ruminant, the rumen.
2
The contents of this stomach in a slaughtered animal, viewed as food or a byproduct.
3
The belly of a human, especially a large, fat protruding one.
See also: pooch
Since retiring from athletics, he has developed a paunch.
2 more examples
Haunch Paunch and Jowl—so that's the derisive picture the radicals had drawn of me. The lean, drawn starvelings in their dream-stupefied state were jealous of my well filled out, prosperous form. It had not yet reached the terrible proportions of obesity that years in a swivel chair on the judicial bench had later given me. But I suppose I was beginning to get fat.1924 July 23 [1923 August 23], Samuel Badisch Ornitz, “Fifth Period”, in Haunch Paunch and Jowl, eighth printing, New York, N.Y.: Boni and Liveright, section III, page 218:
“And another sort of weak, flailing blow to the paunch. Neither of these two are in any condition to be fighting.”2022 July 26, William Meny & Paul Simms, “The Night Market” (10:28 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 4, episode 4, spoken by Ringmaster (Nick Corirossi):
Etymology From Middle English paunche, from Old Northern French panche, Old French pance (French panse), from Latin pantex.
1
To remove the internal organs of a ruminant, prior to eating.
(Caliban) Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him I' th' afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him, Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake, Or cut his wezand with thy knife1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]: