The word "hunch" refers to a feeling or intuition about something, often without any hard evidence or reasoning to support it. It can mean a gut feeling or an instinctual understanding that guides someone in making a decision or judgment. For example, when you have a hunch that something is going to happen, it means you have a strong, intuitive sense about it, even if you can't explain why.
The word "hunch" dates back to the late 19th century and likely comes from the dialectical English word "hunch," meaning "to thrust," or it might be connected to the Old French "hunche," relating to the hip or the act of pushing or bending.