English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

hickory

noun

A hardwood tree of the genus Carya, valued for its wood and, in some species, its edible nuts.

Hicks

name

An English surname derived from Hick, a medieval short form of Richard.

hidalgo

noun

A member of the lower Spanish nobility, historically exempt from certain taxes but without a formal title.

hidden

adjective

Kept out of sight; not easily noticed or found.

hide

verb

To put something, or oneself, somewhere out of sight or hard to find.

hideaway

noun

A secluded place where someone goes to get away from other people.

Hideko

name

A Japanese feminine given name often meaning "excellent child."

Hideo

name

A Japanese masculine given name often meaning "excellent man."

hideous

adjective

Extremely or shockingly ugly.

hideously

adverb

In an extremely ugly or shocking way.

hideout

noun

A place where someone hides, often to avoid capture.

Hideyoshi

name

A Japanese masculine given name, historically borne by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the feudal ruler who unified Japan in the 16th century.

hiding

noun

The state of being concealed.

hie

verb

To hurry or go quickly (archaic or literary).

hierarchy

noun

A system in which people or things are ranked one above another according to status or authority.

Hieroglyphics

noun

The pictorial writing system used in ancient Egypt, or writing resembling it.

Higgins

name

An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic name meaning "son of Uiginn."

Higgs

adj

Relating to the Higgs mechanism or Higgs field, the theoretical framework explaining how elementary particles acquire mass.

high

adj

Extending a long way upward; tall or elevated.

highball

verb

To inflate a figure or claim well beyond what is realistic.

highbrow

adj

Appealing to sophisticated or intellectual tastes.

higher

noun

(Scotland) A school-leaving exam and university entrance qualification.

higher praise

noun

A more intense, exalted and spiritually reverent expression of worship, understood as a deeper progression beyond ordinary praise.

highland

noun

An area of land that sits higher than the land around it.

Highlander

noun

A person who comes from or lives in a highland or mountainous area.

Highlands

noun

An area of elevated, often hilly or mountainous land, considered as a region.

highlight

noun

The most memorable or exciting part of an event, experience, or period.

highlighted

adj

Marked or emphasized, often with colour, to draw attention.

highlighting

noun

The act of marking text or an area to make it stand out visually.

highlights

noun

A short summary of the best or most important moments of an event.

highly

adv

To a great degree; very much.

highness

noun

A formal title used to address or refer to a prince, princess, or other member of a royal family.

Highsmith

name

An English surname, likely an occupational name related to metalworking; notably borne by novelist Patricia Highsmith.

hightail

verb

To move away quickly, especially to flee or retreat in a hurry.

Hightower

name

An English surname, originally denoting someone who lived near a tall tower.

highway

noun

A main road, especially a large, fast public road built for long-distance travel.

highwayman

noun

A robber, historically on horseback, who held up travellers on public roads.

Higuchi

name

A Japanese surname meaning "mouth of the sluice" or "entrance to the water gate."

hijab

noun

A headscarf worn by many Muslim women that covers the hair and neck.

hijack

verb

To seize illegal control of a vehicle, especially a plane, in order to rob it or force it to a destination.

hijacked

adj

Describing a vehicle, system, or process that has been forcibly taken over.

hijacker

noun

A person who hijacks a vehicle or takes forcible control of something.

hijacking

noun

The act of illegally seizing control of a vehicle or taking over a process for another purpose.

Hijo

name

A surname and word of Spanish origin, meaning "son," occasionally used as a family name.

Hikari

name

A Japanese female given name.

Hikaru

name

A unisex Japanese given name.

hike

noun

A long walk taken for pleasure or exercise, usually outdoors.

hiker

noun

A person who goes hiking, especially as a regular activity.

hiking

noun

The activity of walking long distances outdoors, typically on trails, for pleasure or exercise.

hilarious

adj

Extremely funny; causing loud laughter.

Hilary

name

A unisex given name derived from the Latin "hilaris," meaning "cheerful."

Hilda

name

A feminine given name of Germanic origin, meaning "battle."

Hildegard

name

A feminine given name of Germanic origin, meaning "battle stronghold," notably borne by the medieval abbess Hildegard of Bingen.

Hildy

name

A feminine given name, typically a diminutive of Hilda or Hildegard.

hill

noun

A raised area of land, smaller and less steep than a mountain.

Hillary

name

A unisex given name and surname, a variant spelling of Hilary, meaning "cheerful."

hillbilly

noun

(often informal or disparaging) A person from a rural, hilly area, especially the southern United States, stereotyped as unsophisticated.

Hilliard

name

An English surname, derived from the medieval feminine name Hildegard.

hillman

noun

Someone who lives in hilly or mountainous country.

Hills

noun

Plural of hill: raised areas of land, smaller than mountains.

hillside

noun

The sloping side of a hill.

hilltop

noun

The highest point of a hill.

hilly

adj

Having many hills; not flat.

hilt

noun

The handle of a sword or knife, including the grip and guard.

Hilton

name

An English surname and place name meaning "settlement on a hill," widely known through the Hilton hotel chain.

him

pron

The object form of "he" — used for a male person or animal already mentioned.

Himalayan

adj

Relating to the Himalayas, the mountain range in Asia.

Himalayas

name

A major mountain range in Asia, home to the world's highest peaks including Mount Everest.

Himanshu

name

A masculine given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "moon."

Himmler

name

A German surname, historically associated with Heinrich Himmler, a senior Nazi official during World War II.

himself

pron

The reflexive form of "he" — used when a male subject and object are the same person.

hin

noun

An ancient Hebrew unit of liquid measure, roughly 3.8 litres.

Hinata

name

A unisex Japanese given name meaning "place in the sun" or "sunny spot."

hind

adj

Located at or toward the back, especially of an animal's body.

Hindenburg

name

A German surname, historically borne by President Paul von Hindenburg and the name of the airship that famously caught fire in 1937.

hinder

verb

To make something more difficult or slow to accomplish; to get in the way of.

hindering

adj

Getting in the way; causing delay or difficulty.

Hindi

noun

A major language of India, one of its official languages, written in the Devanagari script.

Hindley

name

An English surname and place name meaning "clearing frequented by hinds (female deer)."

hindrance

noun

Something that gets in the way or slows progress; an obstacle.

hindsight

noun

The understanding you gain about a past event only after it has happened.

Hindu

noun

A follower of Hinduism, a major religion originating in India.

Hinduism

noun

A major religion and way of life originating in India, marked by belief in reincarnation and many forms of a single divine reality.

Hindustan

noun

A historical name for India, or for the northern region of the Indian subcontinent.

Hines

name

An English and Irish surname, and the name of several small communities in the United States.

hing

noun

Asafoetida, a pungent spice used mainly in South Asian cooking.

hinge

noun

A jointed device that lets a door, lid, or gate swing open and closed.

Hinkle

name

An American surname, also the name of small communities in Kentucky and Oregon.

hinky

adj

Suspicious or slightly off, as if something isn't right.

Hino

name

A city in Tokyo Prefecture, Japan.

hint

noun

A small clue or suggestion that helps someone understand or guess something.

hinting

noun

The act of giving an indirect suggestion or clue.

hip

noun

The joint and surrounding area where the leg meets the pelvis.

hippie

noun

A person, especially from the 1960s counterculture, who rejected mainstream values in favour of peace, communal living, and free self-expression.

hippocampus

noun

A curved structure deep inside the brain that plays a key role in forming memories.

Hippocratic

adj

Relating to Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician regarded as the father of medicine.

hippodrome

noun

A stadium or arena originally built for horse and chariot racing.

hippopotamus

noun

A large, thick-skinned African mammal that spends much of its time in rivers and lakes.

hippy

adj

Having wide or prominent hips.

hipster

noun

Someone who follows the latest trends, styles, and alternative culture, often self-consciously.

hipsters

noun

Underwear, especially for women, cut low so the waistband sits at the hips rather than the natural waist.

Hiram

name

A male given name of Hebrew origin, borne by a biblical king of Tyre, and also the name of several small towns in the United States.

Hirata

name

A Japanese surname.

Hirayama

name

A Japanese surname.

hire

verb

To employ someone for pay, or to give someone a job.

Hires

name

An American surname.

hiring

noun

The process of employing someone.

Hiroko

name

A Japanese feminine given name.

Hirono

name

A Japanese surname.

Hiroshi

name

A Japanese masculine given name.

Hiroshima

name

A prefecture in southwestern Honshu, Japan.

Hirsch

name

A German and Yiddish surname, also the name of a hamlet in Saskatchewan, Canada.

his

determiner

Belonging to or associated with him.

Hisako

name

A Japanese feminine given name.

Hisashi

name

A Japanese masculine given name.

Hispanic

adj

Relating to Spain, or to Spanish-speaking countries and cultures, especially in Latin America.

hiss

verb

To make a sharp, sustained "sss" sound, as a snake or escaping gas does.

hisself

pron

Nonstandard form of "himself."

hissing

noun

A hissing sound.

hissy

noun

An angry outburst or tantrum, especially in the phrase "throw a hissy" or "hissy fit."

historian

noun

A person who studies, researches, or writes about history.

historic

adj

Important or significant enough to be remembered in history.

historical

adj

Relating to history or the past, especially as recorded and studied, as opposed to legend or fiction.

historically

adv

With reference to history, or in terms of the historical record.

history

noun

The study of past events, or the events themselves considered together.

hit

verb

To strike someone or something, often forcefully.

hitch

noun

A small problem, delay, or snag.

Hitchcock

name

An English surname, notably borne by film director Alfred Hitchcock; also the name of small towns in Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.

hitchhike

verb

To travel by getting free rides from passing drivers, usually by signaling with a thumb or sign.

hitchhiker

noun

A person who travels by hitchhiking.

hitchhiking

noun

The activity of traveling by getting rides from passing vehicles.

hitching

noun

The act of attaching or fastening something, or of hitchhiking.

hither

adv

To this place; here (mainly literary or old-fashioned), especially in the phrase "hither and thither" (in various directions).

hitherto

adv

Up until now, or up until the point being discussed.

Hitler

noun

A domineering, tyrannical person who enjoys controlling others (used as an insult, from the name of the Nazi dictator).

hitman

noun

Someone hired to kill a person, typically paid by a criminal organization.

Hitomi

name

A Japanese feminine given name.

hitter

noun

A batter in baseball or softball.

hitting

noun

A series of hits or blows aimed at a person or object.

Hittite

noun

A member of the ancient Hittite people, a Bronze Age civilization based in Anatolia (modern Turkey).

hive

noun

A structure, natural or man-made, where a colony of bees lives.

hives

noun

An itchy, red, raised rash on the skin, often triggered by an allergic reaction.

hiya

intj

A casual, friendly way of saying hello.

hm

intj

A short version of "hmm", used to show you're thinking something over.

hmm

intj

A sound made to show you're thinking, hesitating, or considering something.

hmmm

intj

A drawn-out version of "hmm", used for extra emphasis while thinking something over.

ho

intj

A shout used to draw attention, especially when spotting something in the distance.

hoa

interjection

An old-fashioned shout used to get someone's attention, similar to "hey" or "ho."

hoagie

noun

A large sandwich made on a long roll, packed with meats, cheese, and vegetables.

hoard

noun

A hidden store of valuable things, often kept secretly.