English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

ha

intj

Used to represent laughter, often written doubled or tripled.

haa

intj

A sigh.

Haas

name

A surname of Dutch, German, or Jewish origin, from a word meaning "hare."

hab

noun

Informal shorthand for a habitation module or living structure, especially in space travel or off-grid settings.

habeas

noun

Short for "habeas corpus," a legal order requiring a detained person to be brought before a court.

Haber

name

A surname of German or Jewish origin, notably borne by the chemist Fritz Haber, co-inventor of the Haber process.

haberdasher

noun

A shopkeeper who sells small sewing items such as ribbon, buttons, thread and needles.

haberdashery

noun

Sewing supplies such as buttons, zips, thread, ribbon, needles and trimmings, or the shop or department that sells them.

Habib

noun

An affectionate term for a close friend, roughly "mate" or "buddy."

habibi

noun

An Arabic term of endearment meaning "my love" or "my dear," used for a partner but also warmly between friends and family.

habibti

noun

An Arabic term of endearment meaning 'my love' or 'my darling', addressed to a woman or girl. The form used for a man is habibi.

habile

adj

(formal) Skilful and able at doing something.

habiliment

noun

(formal) Clothing, especially clothes suited to a person's role or to a particular event.

habilitate

verb

(formal) To make someone able or fit to carry out a particular role or task.

habit

noun

Something you do regularly, often without thinking about it.

habitable

adjective

Suitable to live in; safe and workable as a home or environment.

habitat

noun

The natural environment where a plant or animal normally lives.

habitation

noun

A place where someone lives; a dwelling.

habitual

adjective

Done so often it has become a fixed pattern of behavior.

habitually

adv

As a matter of habit, in a customary way.

habituate

verb

To get someone or something used to a situation.

habituation

noun

The process of becoming used to something, or the state of already being used to it.

habituative

adj

Connected with behaviour that has become a habit.

habitude

noun

(dated) A person's basic nature, including their natural temperament and physical condition.

habitus

noun

(formal) A person's characteristic way of life and manner.

hachure

noun

A short line drawn on a map to show how steep a slope is.

hacienda

noun

A large estate or ranch house, especially in Spanish-speaking countries or regions shaped by Spanish colonial architecture.

hack

verb

To cut or chop something roughly, without precision.

hackamore

noun

A type of horse bridle that has no bit.

hacker

noun

Someone who breaks into computer systems or networks without authorization, often for malicious purposes.

Hackett

name

An English surname, and the name of small towns in Arkansas and Wisconsin.

hacking

noun

Unauthorized access to a computer system or network.

hackish

adj

(informal) Typical of poor-quality, hack writers.

hackman

noun

A driver of a hackney carriage, cab, or taxi.

Hackney

noun

A carriage, cab, or vehicle available for public hire.

hackneyed

adjective

Used so often that it has lost its force or originality.

hacks

intj

(gaming, informal) Said to warn others that a player is cheating.

hacksaw

noun

A hand saw with a thin, tensioned blade, used mainly for cutting metal.

hacky

adjective

Crudely or amateurishly done, especially describing a rough workaround rather than a proper fix.

had

verb

Past tense and past participle of have: to have owned, held, experienced or received something in the past.

hadassah

name

A female first name of Hebrew origin.

haddie

noun

An informal, chiefly Scottish word for haddock, the North Atlantic food fish.

haddock

noun

A saltwater fish from the North Atlantic that is widely eaten as food, related to cod.

hadean

name

Name for the Hadean eon, a division of the Precambrian supereon lasting between 4.6 and 4 billion years ago.

Hades

proper noun

In Greek mythology, the god of the underworld and ruler of the dead.

hadith

noun

A reported account of something Muhammad, or occasionally one of his companions, said or did that is not recorded in the Quran.

hadlee

name

A habitational surname of Old English origin.

hadleigh

name

Denotes a former civil parish and town in the Castle Point borough of Essex, England, at OS grid reference TQ8187.

Hadley

name

An English surname and unisex given name, also the name of several towns in England and the United States.

Hadrian

proper noun

A Roman emperor known for consolidating the empire's borders, including the wall in northern Britain that bears his name.

hadron

noun

A subatomic particle made of two or more quarks bound together by the strong nuclear force, such as a proton or neutron.

haelen

name

A village and municipality of Belgium.

haematite

noun

An iron ore consisting mainly of iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3.

haematology

noun

The medical field concerned with blood, its formation and its disorders.

haematoma

noun

A UK standard spelling of hematoma.

haemophilia

noun

A hereditary condition, usually passed from a mother to her son, in which the body cannot properly control bleeding.

haemophiliac

noun

(medicine) Someone who has haemophilia.

haemorrhage

noun

British spelling of hemorrhage: heavy or uncontrolled bleeding, especially internal bleeding.

haemorrhaging

noun

The act of bleeding heavily, or figuratively, losing something at an alarming rate.

haemorrhoids

noun

A painful condition caused by swollen veins in the tissue around the anus.

hafez

name

A surname of Persian, variant of Hafiz origin.

hafiz

noun

A Muslim who has memorized the entire Qur'an.

hafnium

noun

A chemical element with the symbol Hf and atomic number 72, a lustrous, silvery-grey transition metal.

haft

noun

The handle of a tool or weapon.

hag

noun

An ugly or frightening old woman, especially one associated with witchcraft in folklore.

Hagan

name

A surname of Irish origin.

Hagar

name

A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, borne in the Bible by the Egyptian servant of Abraham and mother of Ishmael.

Hagen

name

A city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and a hero of Germanic legend.

hagfish

noun

An eel-like sea fish with a sucking, rasping mouth, sometimes eaten or used to make leather.

haggard

adjective

Looking tired, worn out, or unwell, often from stress, illness, or lack of sleep.

Haggerty

name

A surname of Irish origin.

haggis

noun

A traditional Scottish dish of minced sheep offal mixed with oatmeal and spices, typically cooked in a casing and served with mashed potatoes and swede.

haggle

verb

To negotiate persistently over a price or deal.

haggler

noun

Someone who argues over a price to try to get it lower.

haggling

noun

The act of negotiating persistently over a price.

hagridden

adj

Tormented by witches, demons, or evil spirits.

Hague

name

A surname, and short for The Hague, the seat of government of the Netherlands.

hah

interjection

An exclamation expressing mild surprise, realization, or amusement.

haha

interjection

A written representation of laughter.

hahaha

interjection

An extended written representation of laughter.

Hahn

name

A surname of German or Korean origin.

hai

interjection

An informal greeting; a playful or stylized spelling of "hi."

haiden

name

A unisex given name derived from the surname, in modern use.

Haider

name

A surname and male given name of Arabic or Persian origin.

Haifa

name

A major port city on the Mediterranean coast in northern Israel, built along the slopes of Mount Carmel.

haifan

adj

Belonging to or connected with Haifa, a city in the north of Israel.

Haig

name

A Scottish surname of Old Norse origin, notably borne by the British general Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig.

haiku

noun

A short Japanese poem written in three lines, traditionally with five, seven, and five syllable-like units, often evoking a season or a scene from nature.

hail

noun

Small, hard balls of ice that fall from the sky during a storm.

Hailey

name

A feminine given name, a common spelling variant of Hayley.

hailing

noun

The act of calling out to someone or something to get their attention, such as flagging down a vehicle.

Haines

name

An English surname, and the name of several small towns in the United States and Australia.

hair

noun

A thin strand that grows from the skin of humans and many animals.

hairball

noun

A clump of swallowed fur that forms in the stomach of a cat or other grooming animal.

hairbrush

noun

A brush designed for smoothing and styling hair.

haircare

noun

Looking after and treating your hair.

haircloth

noun

A rough fabric woven from horsehair, once used to cover furniture and to make scratchy clothes worn for religious self-denial.

haircut

noun

The act of trimming or styling someone's hair, or the resulting style.

hairdo

noun

A particular way someone's hair is styled.

hairdresser

noun

Someone whose job is cutting and styling hair.

hairdressing

noun

The trade or skill of cutting, coloring, and styling hair.

hairdryer

noun

A handheld electric device that blows hot air to dry hair.

haired

adj

Having hair, especially of a specified type (used in combinations like "curly-haired" or "grey-haired").

hairless

adj

Without hair; bald or naturally lacking fur.

hairline

noun

The edge along the forehead or scalp where hair begins to grow.

hairnet

noun

A fine net worn over the hair to keep it tidy, for example while cooking.

hairpiece

noun

A wig or piece of artificial hair worn to cover thinning or missing hair.

hairpin

noun

A thin U-shaped pin used to hold hair in place.

hairstyle

noun

The way a person's hair is cut, arranged, or shaped.

hairy

adj

Covered with a lot of hair or fur.

Haiti

name

A country occupying the western third of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.

Haitian

noun

A person from Haiti, or someone of Haitian descent.

Haji

noun

An honorific title for a Muslim who has completed the hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

hajj

noun

The pilgrimage to Mecca that observant Muslims are expected to make at least once, one of the five pillars of Islam.

hajji

noun

A title of respect for a Muslim who has completed the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Hak

name

A surname of varied origin, found among Dutch, Czech, Cambodian, and Chinese families.

hake

noun

A hook, especially one used for hanging a pot.

Hakeem

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "wise" or "judicious."

hakim

noun

A physician, especially one practicing traditional or herbal medicine in South Asia or the Middle East.

hakuna matata

phrase

There are no problems; used as a reassurance meaning no worries or it's all fine.

hal

noun

An artificial intelligence in fiction that turns against humans, echoing the AI from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

halal

adj

Permitted or lawful under Islamic religious rules, especially describing food prepared according to those rules.

halberd

noun

A two-handed weapon with a long pole topped by an axe-like blade and, opposite the blade, usually a spike or hook.

haldol

noun

A brand name for haloperidol, an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and severe agitation.

hale

adj

Healthy and strong, especially for someone's age.

Halen

name

A town and municipality in Limburg province, Belgium.

haleness

noun

The condition of being fit and healthy.

Hales

name

An English surname, and the name of villages in Norfolk and Staffordshire, England.

Haley

name

A feminine or unisex given name, a variant spelling of Hayley.

half

adj

Equal to one of two equal parts of something.

halfhearted

adj

Done without much energy, effort or enthusiasm.

halfling

noun

An imaginary small human-like creature found in fantasy stories, such as a hobbit.

Halford

name

An English surname, and the name of villages in Shropshire and Warwickshire, England.

halfway

adverb

At the midpoint between two places, times, or amounts.

halfwit

noun

A foolish or stupid person (informal and rather insulting).

halibut

noun

A large flatfish prized as food, found in cold northern waters.

Halifax

name

A town in West Yorkshire, England.

haligonian

adj

Belonging to or connected with Halifax in West Yorkshire, England.

haline

adj

Containing salt; salty.

halite

noun

A natural mineral form of salt, also known as rock salt.

halitosis

noun

Chronic bad breath.

hall

noun

A passage or corridor inside a building.

Hallam

name

An English surname, also the name of a suburb of Melbourne and towns in Nebraska and Pennsylvania.

Halle

name

A city in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, on the river Saale.

hallelujah

interjection

An exclamation of praise, joy, or relief.

Haller

name

A surname of English, German, or Austrian origin.

Halley

name

A surname of Irish origin, most famous as the name of astronomer Edmond Halley, for whom Halley's Comet is named.

Halliday

name

An English surname, and a small city in North Dakota.

Hallie

name

A feminine given name, a shortened form of Harriet.

Halliwell

name

An English surname, and a suburb of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England.