squat

UK: /ˈskwɒt/ US: /skwɑt/ ,(skwot)

Inflections of 'squat' (adj):

squatter

adj comparative

squattest

adj superlative

Inflections of 'squat' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

squats

v 3rd person singular

squatting

v pres p

squatted

v past

squatted

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

squat /skwɑt/   v., squat•ted, squat•ting, adj., squat•ter, squat•test, n. 
v. [no object]

1. to sit in a crouching position with the legs drawn up closely beneath or in front of the body:
   I squatted behind the table where she wouldn't see me.
2. Law to occupy property or settle land without permission, such as a squatter:
   The migrant workers squatted on the unused farm.

adj. 

3. very short and thickset:
   a heavy, squat man.
4. in a squatting position;
   crouching:
   [before a noun] the squat lions.

n. [countable]

5. the act, position, or posture of squatting.

squat•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

squat (skwot),  v., squat•ted or squat, squat•ting, adj., squat•ter, squat•test, n. 

v.i. 

1. to sit in a low or crouching position with the legs drawn up closely beneath or in front of the body;
   sit on one's haunches or heels.
2. to crouch down or cower, as an animal.
3. Law to settle on or occupy property, esp. otherwise unoccupied property, without any title, right, or payment of rent.
4. Law to settle on public land under government regulation, in order to acquire title.
5. Nautical, Naval Terms (of a vessel, esp. a power vessel) to draw more water astern when in motion forward than when at rest.

v.t. 

6. to cause to squat.
7. Law to occupy (property) as a squatter.

adj. 

8. (of a person, animal, the body, etc.) short and thickset.
9. low and thick or broad:
   The building had a squat shape.
10. seated or being in a squatting position;
    crouching.

n. 

11. the act or fact of squatting.
12. a squatting position or posture.
13. Nautical, Naval Terms the tendency of a vessel to draw more water astern when in motion than when stationary.
14. Slang Terms doodly-squat.
15. Law a place occupied by squatters.

• Vulgar Latin *coactīre to compress, equivalent. to Latin coāct(us), past participle of cōgere to compress (co- co- + ag(ere) to drive + -tus past participle suffix) + -īre infinitive suffix; (noun, nominal) Middle English, derivative of the verb, verbal; (adjective, adjectival) Middle English: in a squatting position, origin, originally, past participle of the verb, verbal
• Old French esquater, esquatir, equivalent. to es- ex-¹ + quatir
• (verb, verbal) Middle English squatten 1250–1300

squat′ly, adv. 
squat′ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 8. dumpy, stocky, square.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

squat / skwɒt/ verb (squats, squatting, squatted)(intransitive)

1. to rest in a crouching position with the knees bent and the weight on the feet
2. to crouch down, esp in order to hide
3. (transitive) to occupy land or property to which the occupant has no legal title

adjective

1. Also: squatty / ˈskwɒtɪ/ short and broad

noun

1. a squatting position
2. a house occupied by squatters

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French esquater, from es- ex-¹ + catir to press together, from Vulgar Latin coactīre (unattested), from Latin cōgere to compress, from co- + agere to drive

ˈsquatly adverb

ˈsquatness noun