A protruding belly or stomach, especially one that shows someone has gained weight.
Possibly from Old Norse 'punnr' or related to 'pancheon' (a large pan). The exact origin is uncertain, but it may relate to belly-related words in Scandinavian languages.
The word 'paunch' has been around since the 1500s, showing that weight gain and dad-bods have always been part of human experience! It's neutral as a descriptive term but has picked up some lighthearted connotations.
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