hutch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to informal when referring to the dwelling; technical within pet/animal care contexts.
Quick answer
What does “hutch” mean?
A cage or enclosed wooden box, often with a wire mesh front, for keeping small animals like rabbits or guinea pigs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cage or enclosed wooden box, often with a wire mesh front, for keeping small animals like rabbits or guinea pigs.
1. A storage chest or cupboard, especially an old-fashioned one used for storing food or kitchenware. 2. (Informal/Obsolete) A small, cramped dwelling or shack.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The animal cage sense is identical. The 'cupboard' sense is now more common in American English to describe a piece of furniture (e.g., 'a china hutch'), whereas in British English 'dresser' or 'sideboard' is more typical.
Connotations
In both, the primary animal cage connotation is neutral/functional. The furniture sense in AmE is more common and less dated. The cramped dwelling sense is equally archaic in both.
Frequency
Higher frequency in AmE due to furniture usage. In BrE, the word is less frequent and strongly associated with animal enclosures.
Grammar
How to Use “hutch” in a Sentence
keep [animal] in a hutchput [animal] in the hutchthe hutch for the rabbitsa hutch made of woodVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hutch” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He hutched the rabbits for the night.
American English
- We need to hutch the new guinea pigs before winter.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Almost never used.
Academic
Rare, except in historical texts describing living conditions.
Everyday
Common in contexts of pet care and, in AmE, furniture.
Technical
Used in animal husbandry/pet care product descriptions.
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hutch”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hutch”
- Using 'hutch' to mean a modern wardrobe or cabinet (except in AmE antique context). Confusing it with 'hatch' (a door).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most associated with rabbits, hutches are also commonly used for guinea pigs, ferrets, and other small domesticated animals.
Yes, but it is very rare and technical. It means 'to place or keep in a hutch'.
A hutch is typically a larger, more permanent wooden structure, often for outdoor use, while a 'cage' is a more general term and often made of wire, used both indoors and out.
Yes, etymologically. Both derive from the Old French 'huche' (chest), referring to a box-like storage container.
A cage or enclosed wooden box, often with a wire mesh front, for keeping small animals like rabbits or guinea pigs.
Hutch is usually neutral to informal when referring to the dwelling; technical within pet/animal care contexts. in register.
Hutch: in British English it is pronounced /hʌtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /hətʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to hutch up (archaic: to store or shelter)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HUT for a CHicken (but for rabbits) -> HUT-CH -> HUTCH. A small hut-like structure for animals.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR LIVING BEINGS / CONFINEMENT AS SHELTER.
Practice
Quiz
In modern American English, 'hutch' can most commonly refer to: