COUCHANT

couchant

(adjective) lying on the stomach with head raised with legs pointed forward

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

couchant (not comparable)

(of an animal) Lying with belly down and front legs extended; crouching.

(heraldry) Represented as crouching with the head raised.

Source: Wiktionary

Couch"ant (kouch"ant), a. Etym: [F., p. pr. of coucher. See Couch, v. t.]

1. Lying down with head erect; squatting.

2. (Her.)

Definition: Lying down with the head raised, which distinguishes the posture of couchant from that of dormant, or sleeping; -- said of a lion or other beast. Couchant and levant (Law), rising up and lying down; -- said of beasts, and indicating that they have been long enough on land, not belonging to their owner, to lie down and rise up to feed, -- such time being held to include a day and night at the least. Blackstone.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition