In humans, the crotch is the bottom of the pelvis (the region of the

body Body may refer to: In science * Physical body, an object in physics that represents a large amount, has mass or takes up space * Body (biology), the physical material of an organism * Body plan, the physical features shared by a group of anima ...

where the

leg A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element ca ...

s join the

torso The torso or trunk is an anatomical term for the central part, or the core, of the body of many animals (including humans), from which the head, neck, limbs, tail and other appendages extend. The tetrapod torso — including that of a huma ...

) and is often considered to include the

groin In human anatomy, the groin (the adjective is ''inguinal'', as in inguinal canal) is the junctional area (also known as the inguinal region) between the abdomen and the thigh on either side of the pubic bone. This is also known as the medial comp ...

and

genitals A sex organ (or reproductive organ) is any part of an animal or plant that is involved in sexual reproduction. The reproductive organs together constitute the reproductive system. In animals, the testis in the male, and the ovary in the female, a ...

Etymology

''Crotch'' is derived from ''crutch''; it "was first used in 1539 to refer to a forked stick used as a farm implement." This region of the body is also described with other terms such as ''groin'' or the lower ventral area.

In clothing

In clothing, the crotch is the area of

trousers Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending across both legs as in robes, skirts, and ...

shorts Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they ...

leggings Leggings are several types of leg attire that have varied through the years. Modern usage from the 1960s onwards has come to refer to elastic close-fitting high-rise garments worn over the legs typically by women, such as leg warmers or tights ...

etc. where the legs join. The bottom of the crotch is an end of the

inseam In sewing, a seam is the join where two or more layers of fabric, leather, or other materials are held together with stitches. Prior to the invention of the sewing machine, all sewing was done by hand. Seams in modern mass-produced household te ...

. The crotch-region on smaller garments such as underwear are sometimes referred to as the ''pouch''. Loosely-fitted or bagginess in the crotch-region is sometimes associated with a lax, casual and easy-going approach to attires or garbs. Clothing that is tight-fitting in the crotch produces an effect that is sometimes referred to by informal terms such as a ''man-bulge'' or ''moose-knuckle'' on men, and a '' camel toe'' on women, especially if the woman's

labia majora The labia majora (singular: ''labium majus'') are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds that extend downward and backward from the mons pubis to the perineum. Together with the labia minora they form the labia of the vulva. The labia majo ...

are conspicuous. Prolonged constrictive pressure of the crotch on the male genitals may increase the likelihood of detumescing.

Scope

The semantic field of the term ''crotch'' is sometimes expanded to include objects which have a similar shape to the anatomical human crotch. This may include botanical structures such as the area where tree branches are joined together or mechanical structures which fork or branch or where ramification takes place. The term had also been expanded to include the joining together of asymmetrical surfaces in cue sports equipment or the corners of flat surfaces usually made of quarried slate.

Depictions in artwork

The human crotch has been depicted in artwork. In Paleolithic art, forms called tectiforms or

quadrilaterals In geometry a quadrilateral is a four-sided polygon, having four edges (sides) and four corners (vertices). The word is derived from the Latin words ''quadri'', a variant of four, and ''latus'', meaning "side". It is also called a tetragon, ...

have sometimes been interpreted to be "quick visual guides, reminders to the imagination" of the female crotch, and typically do not represent the crotch hairs. Classical marble statues depict females without pubic hair; in contrast statues of males "show curly pubic hair". For much of the history of European art – "until the late seventeenth century" – references to the female crotch were approached from above: "Art usually expressed the sense of the vulva as a point at the bottom of the belly rather than as the meeting place at the top of the thighs."

Art therapists Art therapy (not to be confused with ''arts therapy'', which includes other creative therapies such as drama therapy and music therapy) is a distinct discipline that incorporates creative methods of expression through visual art media. Art ther ...

have noted "a triangular or vaginal shaped area in drawings by rape/sexual abuse victims".Coleman, Victoria D. and Phoebe M. Farris-Dufrene. 1996
''Art Therapy and Psychotherapy: Blending Two Therapeutic Approaches''
Taylor & Francis. p. 39.

References

{{reflist Parts of clothing Sexual anatomy de:Schritt nl:Schaamstreek ne:जाङ्घ tl:Pundya