Standard Lemma guide

hatch

name · noun · verb · 31 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • hăch
  • /hæt͡ʃ/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ætʃ
  • CMU ARPABET: HH AE1 CH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A horizontal door in a floor or ceiling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Moving the wardrobe revealed a previously hidden hatch in the ground.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A trapdoor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An opening in a wall at window height for the purpose of serving food or other items. A pass through.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The cook passed the dishes through the serving hatch.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A small door in large mechanical structures and vehicles such as aircraft and spacecraft often provided for access for maintenance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

An opening through the deck of a ship or submarine

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A gullet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A frame or weir in a river, for catching fish.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A floodgate; a sluice gate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A bedstead.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Scotland

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

An opening into, or in search of, a mine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, mining

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

The act of hatching.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

Development; disclosure; discovery.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

A group of birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: poultry

Examples

  • These pullets are from an April hatch.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

The phenomenon, lasting 1–2 days, of large clouds of mayflies appearing in one location to mate, having reached maturity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: often

Examples

  • a. 1947, Edward R. Hewitt, quoted in 1947, Charles K. Fox, Redistribution of the Green Drake, 1997, Norm Shires, Jim Gilford (editors), Limestone Legends, page 104, The Willowemoc above Livington Manor had the largest mayfly hatch I ever knew about fifty years ago.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

A birth, the birth records (in the newspaper).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • hatch, match, and dispatch

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

To close with a hatch or hatches.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

verb

Meaning 18

To emerge from an egg.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • These three chicks hatched yesterday morning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

verb

Meaning 19

To break open when a young animal emerges from it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • She was delighted when she heard the crackling sound of the eggs hatching.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

verb

Meaning 20

To incubate eggs; to cause to hatch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I'm hatching this mysterious egg I found in the forest.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

21

verb

Meaning 21

To devise (a plot or scheme).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • World domination was only one of the evil schemes he had hatched over the years.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hatch up

Antonyms: none provided

22

verb

Meaning 22

To shade an area of (a drawing, diagram, etc.) with fine parallel lines, or with lines which cross each other (crosshatch).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

23

verb

Meaning 23

To cross; to spot; to stain; to steep.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

24

noun

Meaning 24

a movable barrier covering a hatchway

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: movable barrier

Narrower terms: cargo hatch

25

noun

Meaning 25

shading consisting of multiple crossing lines

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hatching, crosshatch, hachure

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shading

26

noun

Meaning 26

the production of young from an egg

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hatching

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: parturition, birth, giving birth, birthing

27

verb

Meaning 27

sit on (eggs)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Birds brood
  • The female covers the eggs

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: brood, cover, incubate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reproduce, procreate, multiply

28

verb

Meaning 28

emerge from the eggs

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • young birds, fish, and reptiles hatch

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: be born

29

verb

Meaning 29

draw, cut, or engrave lines, usually parallel, on metal, wood, or paper

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • hatch the sheet

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: line

30

verb

Meaning 30

devise or invent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He thought up a plan to get rich quickly
  • no-one had ever thought of such a clever piece of software

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: think up, think of, dream up, concoct

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: create by mental act, create mentally

Narrower terms: idealize, idealise, fabricate, manufacture, cook up, make up, invent

31

verb

Meaning 31

inlay with narrow strips or lines of a different substance such as gold or silver, for the purpose of decorating

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inlay

History

Etymology

English surname from the root of hatch (“gate”).

From Middle English hacche, hache, from Old English hæċ, from Proto-West Germanic *hakkju (compare Dutch hek ‘gate, railing’, Low German Heck ‘pasture gate, farmyard gate’), variant of *haggju ‘hedge’. More at hedge.

From Middle English hacche, hacchen (“to propagate”), from Old English *hæċċan, āhaċċian (“to peck out; hatch”), from Proto-Germanic *hakjaną. Cognate with German hecken ‘to breed, spawn’, Danish hække (“to hatch”), Swedish häcka (“to breed”); akin to Latvian kakale ‘penis’.

From Middle French hacher (“to chop, slice up, incise with fine lines”), from Old French hacher, hachier, from Frankish *hakōn, *hakkōn, from Proto-Germanic *hakkōną (“to chop; hack”). More at hack.

Across languages

Translations

203 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Asturian: escotilla — horizontal door
  • Chinese Mandarin: 艙口 /舱口 (cāngkǒu) — horizontal door
  • Dutch: luik — horizontal door
  • Finnish: luukku — horizontal door
  • French: trappe — horizontal door
  • German: Luke — horizontal door
  • Hungarian: csapóajtó — horizontal door
  • Hungarian: padlásajtó — horizontal door
  • Hungarian: pinceajtó — horizontal door
  • Hungarian: lejáró — horizontal door
  • Hungarian: feljáró — horizontal door
  • Hungarian: átjáró — horizontal door
  • Indonesian: palka — horizontal door
  • Irish: haiste — horizontal door
  • Italian: botola — horizontal door
  • Japanese: ハッチ (hatchi) — horizontal door
  • Māori: kopani — horizontal door
  • Norwegian: luke — horizontal door
  • Pohnpeian: ahs — horizontal door
  • Portuguese: escotilha — horizontal door
  • Romanian: trapă — horizontal door
  • Russian: люк (ljuk) — horizontal door
  • Russian: лаз (laz) — horizontal door
  • Spanish: escotilla — horizontal door
  • Spanish: escotillón — horizontal door
  • Swedish: lucka — horizontal door
  • Ukrainian: люк (ljuk) — horizontal door
  • Bulgarian: шубер (šuber) — opening for serving food
  • Dutch: doorgeefluik — opening for serving food
  • Finnish: luukku — opening for serving food
  • Finnish: tarjoiluluukku — opening for serving food
  • French: passe-plat — opening for serving food
  • German: Durchreiche — opening for serving food
  • Hungarian: nyílás — opening for serving food
  • Hungarian: ablak — opening for serving food
  • Irish: haiste — opening for serving food
  • Italian: passavivande — opening for serving food
  • Russian: люк (ljuk) — opening for serving food
  • Spanish: pasaplatos — opening for serving food
  • Swedish: lucka — opening for serving food
  • Swedish: serveringslucka — opening for serving food
  • Ukrainian: люк (ljuk) — opening for serving food
  • Asturian: escotilla — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Finnish: luukku — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Finnish: huoltoluukku — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • French: trappe — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Irish: haiste — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Russian: люк (ljuk) — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Russian: лаз (laz) — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Russian: лазе́йка (lazéjka) — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Spanish: escotilla — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Spanish: compuerta — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Spanish: portillo — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Spanish: aguatocho — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Swedish: lucka — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Swedish: underhållslucka — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Ukrainian: люк (ljuk) — small door provided for access for maintenance
  • Asturian: chipitéu — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Bulgarian: люк (ljuk) — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Finnish: luukku — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • French: écoutille — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Hungarian: zsilipkapu — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Irish: haiste — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Italian: osteriggio — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Norman: êcoutil'ye — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Pohnpeian: ahs — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Russian: шлюз (šljuz) — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Spanish: escotilla — an opening through the deck of a ship or submarine
  • Hungarian: költés — the act of hatching
  • Hungarian: kiköltés — the act of hatching
  • Hungarian: kikelés — the act of hatching
  • Bulgarian: люпило (ljupilo) — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • Finnish: haudontaerä — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • Finnish: pesue — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • French: couvée — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • Hungarian: fészekalja — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • Italian: schiusa — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • Italian: covata — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • Russian: вы́водок (vývodok) — birds that emerged from eggs at a specified time
  • Finnish: parveilu — phenomenon related to insects' mating
  • Assamese: ফুটা (phuta) — to emerge from an egg
  • Bulgarian: излюпвам се (izljupvam se) — to emerge from an egg
  • Cebuano: pusa — to emerge from an egg
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏣᎢᎠ (atsaia) — to emerge from an egg
  • Chinese Mandarin: 孵化 (fūhuà) — to emerge from an egg
  • Chinese Mandarin: 孵出 (fūchū) — to emerge from an egg
  • Czech: vyklubat se — to emerge from an egg
  • Czech: vylíhnout se — to emerge from an egg
  • Dutch: uit het ei komen — to emerge from an egg
  • Finnish: kuoriutua — to emerge from an egg
  • French: éclore — to emerge from an egg
  • French: naître — to emerge from an egg
  • French: sortir de l'œuf — to emerge from an egg
  • Georgian: იჩეკება (ičeḳeba) — to emerge from an egg
  • Georgian: გამოჩეკვა (gamočeḳva) — to emerge from an egg
  • German: schlüpfen — to emerge from an egg
  • German: schlüüfe — to emerge from an egg
  • Hungarian: kikel — to emerge from an egg
  • Italian: schiudersi — to emerge from an egg
  • Japanese: 孵化する (fuka suru) — to emerge from an egg
  • Japanese: 孵る (kaeru) — to emerge from an egg
  • Khmer: ញាស់ (ñŏəh) — to emerge from an egg
  • Korean: 부화(孵化)하다 (buhwahada) — to emerge from an egg
  • Maltese: faqqas — to emerge from an egg
  • Norwegian: klekke — to emerge from an egg
  • Portuguese: eclodir — to emerge from an egg
  • Romanian: ieși din ou — to emerge from an egg
  • Romanian: ecloza — to emerge from an egg
  • Russian: вылупля́ться (vylupljátʹsja) — to emerge from an egg
  • Russian: вы́лупиться (výlupitʹsja) — to emerge from an egg
  • Slovak: vyliahnuť sa — to emerge from an egg
  • Slovak: liahnuť sa — to emerge from an egg
  • Slovene: izleči se — to emerge from an egg
  • Slovene: izvaliti se — to emerge from an egg
  • Spanish: eclosionar — to emerge from an egg
  • Swedish: kläcka — to emerge from an egg
  • Ukrainian: вилу́плюватися (vylúpljuvatysja) — to emerge from an egg
  • Ukrainian: ви́лупитися (výlupytysja) — to emerge from an egg
  • Vietnamese: nở — to emerge from an egg
  • Assamese: ফুটা (phuta) — of an egg, to break open
  • Cebuano: pusa — of an egg, to break open
  • Chinese Mandarin: 孵化 (fūhuà) — of an egg, to break open
  • Chinese Mandarin: 孵出 (fūchū) — of an egg, to break open
  • Dutch: uitkomen — of an egg, to break open
  • Finnish: kuoriutua — of an egg, to break open
  • Finnish: aueta — of an egg, to break open
  • French: éclore — of an egg, to break open
  • German: ausschlüpfen — of an egg, to break open
  • Hungarian: kinyílik — of an egg, to break open
  • Italian: scoppiare — of an egg, to break open
  • Italian: schiudersi — of an egg, to break open
  • Japanese: 孵化する (fuka suru) — of an egg, to break open
  • Japanese: 孵る (kaeru) — of an egg, to break open
  • Korean: 부화(孵化)하다 (buhwahada) — of an egg, to break open
  • Lithuanian: kaltis — of an egg, to break open
  • Lithuanian: ristis — of an egg, to break open
  • Māori: pao — of an egg, to break open
  • Polish: lęgnąć się — of an egg, to break open
  • Polish: wykluwać się — of an egg, to break open
  • Polish: wykluć się — of an egg, to break open
  • Portuguese: eclodir — of an egg, to break open
  • Russian: ло́паться (lópatʹsja) — of an egg, to break open
  • Russian: ло́пнуть (lópnutʹ) — of an egg, to break open
  • Spanish: eclosionar — of an egg, to break open
  • Vietnamese: nở — of an egg, to break open
  • Arabic: حَضَنَ (ḥaḍana) — to incubate eggs
  • Armenian: թուխս նստել (tʻuxs nstel) — to incubate eggs
  • Old Armenian: թխեմ (tʻxem) — to incubate eggs
  • Bulgarian: излюпвам (izljupvam) — to incubate eggs
  • Cebuano: lumlom — to incubate eggs
  • Chinese Mandarin: 孵化 (fūhuà) — to incubate eggs
  • Czech: vysedět — to incubate eggs
  • Dutch: een ei bevruchten — to incubate eggs
  • Dutch: uitbroeden — to incubate eggs
  • Finnish: hautoa — to incubate eggs
  • French: faire éclore — to incubate eggs
  • Friulian: clucî — to incubate eggs
  • German: brüten — to incubate eggs
  • German: ausbrüten — to incubate eggs
  • Hungarian: költ — to incubate eggs
  • Hungarian: kikölt — to incubate eggs
  • Hungarian: keltet — to incubate eggs
  • Italian: incubare — to incubate eggs
  • Italian: covare — to incubate eggs
  • Japanese: 孵化する (fuka suru) — to incubate eggs
  • Japanese: 孵す (kaesu) — to incubate eggs
  • Korean: 부화(孵化)하다 (buhwahada) — to incubate eggs
  • Portuguese: chocar — to incubate eggs
  • Romanian: cloci — to incubate eggs
  • Russian: выси́живать (vysíživatʹ) — to incubate eggs
  • Russian: вы́сидеть (výsidetʹ) — to incubate eggs
  • Russian: выводи́ть (vyvodítʹ) — to incubate eggs
  • Russian: вы́вести (vývesti) — to incubate eggs
  • Scots: clock — to incubate eggs
  • Scottish Gaelic: guir — to incubate eggs
  • Spanish: empollar — to incubate eggs
  • Spanish: enclocar — to incubate eggs
  • Spanish: aclocar — to incubate eggs
  • Spanish: encluecar — to incubate eggs
  • Spanish: encloquecer — to incubate eggs
  • Spanish: encoclar — to incubate eggs
  • Spanish: enllocar — to incubate eggs
  • Thai: ฟัก (fák) — to incubate eggs
  • Bulgarian: измъдрям (izmǎdrjam) — to devise
  • Czech: zosnovat — to devise
  • Dutch: op een ei broeden — to devise
  • Finnish: hautoa — to devise
  • German: ausbrüten — to devise
  • German: hecken — to devise
  • Hungarian: kieszel — to devise
  • Hungarian: kiötöl — to devise
  • Hungarian: forral — to devise
  • Italian: tramare — to devise
  • Italian: complottare — to devise
  • Portuguese: tramar — to devise
  • Romanian: urzi — to devise
  • Russian: разраба́тывать (razrabátyvatʹ) — to devise
  • Russian: разрабо́тать (razrabótatʹ) — to devise
  • Russian: замышля́ть (zamyšljátʹ) — to devise
  • Russian: замы́слить (zamýslitʹ) — to devise
  • Russian: вына́шивать (vynášivatʹ) — to devise
  • Russian: вы́носить (výnositʹ) — to devise
  • Swedish: kläcka — to devise
Real reading context

hatch in complete knowledge articles