English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

hesperian

adj

Relating to the west, the direction where the sun sets.

hesperus

name

The planet Venus, as it appears when seen as an evening star.

Hess

name

A surname of German-Jewish origin, originally denoting someone from the region of Hesse.

Hesse

name

A state in central Germany, and formerly a historic principality in the same region.

hessian

adj

Relating to Hesse, a region of Germany.

Hester

name

A female given name, an older form of Esther.

hesternal

adj

Relating to yesterday.

hestia

name

The virgin goddess associated with the hearth and household, and hence with domestic life.

Heston

name

A male given name, or a place name — most notably a suburban area of west London.

het

noun

Informal slang for a heterosexual person.

heta

noun

An old form of the Greek letter eta, once used to represent the sound /h/.

hetero

adj

Informal for heterosexual; attracted to the opposite sex.

heterobiography

noun

A biography of a person written by someone else, rather than by that person.

heterochronous

adj

Formed or happening at different times.

heteroclite

adj

Not following the usual pattern of endings for its word class; irregular.

heterodox

adj

Describes beliefs or teachings, often religious, that go against accepted doctrine without actually being heretical.

heterodoxy

noun

The fact of holding views or teachings that differ from accepted doctrine.

heterogeneity

noun

A make-up consisting of varied, dissimilar parts.

heterogeneous

adjective

Made up of parts that are different in kind or quality; varied rather than uniform.

heteronomous

adj

Controlled or caused by something outside oneself, rather than acting independently.

heterophobia

noun

A strong dislike or fear of people or things that are different.

heterophobism

noun

Another word for heterophobia, meaning a dislike or fear of heterosexual people.

heterosexism

noun

The assumption that everyone is heterosexual unless shown otherwise.

heterosexual

adj

Romantically or sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex.

heterosexuality

noun

Feeling sexual or romantic attraction mainly, or only, to people of the opposite sex.

heterozygous

adjective

Having two different versions of a gene at the same position on a pair of chromosomes, one inherited from each parent.

hetman

noun

A senior military commander or headman among the Cossacks, or a top military title historically used in Poland and Lithuania.

hettie

name

An alternative spelling of Hetty, itself short for Henrietta, Esther or Hester, female given names.

hetty

adjective

Slang for heterosexual; straight.

heuristic

noun

A practical rule of thumb that lets someone reach a workable answer quickly, without guaranteeing it is the best one.

hew

verb

To cut something down or reduce it using a sharp tool, such as an axe.

hewat

name

A family name that began as a patronymic.

Hewes

name

An English surname, a variant of Hughes, meaning "son of Hugh."

hewetson

name

A family name that began as a patronymic.

hewett

name

A family name that began as a patronymic.

hewison

name

A family name that began as a patronymic.

hewitson

name

A family name that began as a patronymic.

Hewitt

name

An English surname derived from a Norman personal name meaning "little Hugh."

hewkin

name

A family name that began as a patronymic.

Hewlett

name

An English surname, notably one half of the Hewlett-Packard technology company name.

hewn

adj

Shaped by being cut, especially with an axe or similar tool.

hex

verb

To cast a spell on someone, especially a harmful or evil one; to bewitch.

hexachord

noun

(music) A scale of six notes in stepwise order, where all the gaps are the same size except for one, which is smaller.

hexad

noun

A set of six things.

hexadecagon

noun

A polygon with sixteen sides and sixteen angles.

hexadecimal

noun

A number system based on sixteen, using the digits 0 to 9 and the letters A to F.

hexagonal

adjective

Having six sides, or a cross-section shaped like a hexagon.

hexahedron

noun

A solid shape with six flat sides.

hexane

noun

Hexane is a colourless, volatile hydrocarbon liquid with the chemical formula C6H14, of which five different isomers exist.

hexathlon

noun

A sports competition made up of six different events.

hexation

noun

(mathematics) A calculation formed by repeating pentation over and over.

hexcraft

noun

The skill of casting spells and curses; witchcraft.

hexed

adj

Under a curse, or suffering from bad luck.

hexerei

noun

A large rowing ship with six rows of oars, one stacked above another.

hey

interjection

An informal way to greet someone or get their attention.

heya

noun

In sumo wrestling, a training stable where rikishi (wrestlers) live, train, and eat together under a stablemaster.

heyday

noun

The period when someone or something was most successful, popular, or powerful.

Heyes

name

An English surname and place name, related to enclosed land or hedged fields.

heyo

intj

(informal) An informal way of saying hello.

Heywood

name

An English surname and place name meaning "hedged wood" or "high wood."

Hezbollah

noun

A Lebanese Shi'a Islamist political party and armed movement.

HH

symbol

A symbol used to show support for Nazism.

hi

interjection

A friendly, casual greeting.

hiatus

noun

A gap or interruption in something that would otherwise be continuous.

hibberson

name

A surname that arose as either a matronymic or a patronymic.

Hibbert

name

An English surname, a variant of Hubert, meaning "bright heart" or "bright mind."

hibbett

name

A surname that originated as either a matronymic or a patronymic.

hibbit

name

A surname that arose as either a matronymic or a patronymic.

hibbitt

name

A surname that began as either a matronymic or a patronymic.

hibble

name

A surname that began as a matronymic.

hibbott

name

A surname that began as either a matronymic or a patronymic.

hibernacle

noun

A place where someone shelters or stays through the winter.

hibernaculum

noun

The shelter in which a hibernating animal spends the winter.

hibernal

adj

Relating to winter; wintry.

hibernate

verb

For an animal to spend winter in a dormant, low-energy state.

hibernation

noun

A state of greatly reduced activity and metabolism that some animals enter during winter.

hibernator

noun

An animal, or other creature, that hibernates.

hibernia

name

A name for Ireland, a country in north-western Europe.

hibiscus

noun

A flowering plant of the genus Hibiscus, often grown for its large, showy blooms, and used in some cultures to make tea.

hic

intj

Used to imitate the sound of a hiccup, often to suggest that the speaker is drunk.

hiccough

noun

A dated spelling of hiccup.

hiccup

noun

An involuntary spasm of the diaphragm that produces a short, sharp sound.

hiccups

noun

A series of involuntary, repeated spasms of the diaphragm, each cut short by the sudden closing of the vocal cords, producing a sharp "hic" sound.

hick

noun

An unsophisticated or unfashionable person from the countryside, often used disparagingly.

hickey

noun

A bruise-like mark left on the skin from kissing or sucking, typically on the neck.

Hickman

name

A family name.

Hickok

name

An English surname, best known through Wild Bill Hickok, a figure of the American Old West.

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.

hiddenness

noun

The fact or condition of being hidden.

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.

hidrosis

noun

(medicine) The process of producing and releasing sweat.

hie

verb

To hurry or go quickly (archaic or literary).

hield

verb

To lean, tip or slope over, as a jug of water or a ship does; to heel.

hiemal

adj

Relating to winter; wintry.

hierarch

noun

A person with the highest authority over religious matters, or the head of a religious order.

hierarchical

adj

Relating to a hierarchy, or system of ranks.

hierarchy

noun

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

hieratic

adj

Relating to priests or religious leaders, especially those of Ancient Egypt.

hierocracy

noun

Rule by members of the clergy.

hieroglyph

noun

A single sign or symbol that forms part of a hieroglyphic writing system.

hieroglyphic

noun

A system of writing, used by the ancient Egyptians and other early civilisations, that represents sounds through picture-like symbols.

Hieroglyphics

noun

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

higashi

noun

The more highly ranked, right-hand column on the sumo ranking list.

higgens

name

A family name that began as a patronymic.

higgin

name

A family name that came from a first name.

Higgins

name

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

higgle

verb

To sell food or goods by going from place to place.

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.

high level

adjective

Dealing with the broad picture rather than the details; general and summarised.

high-maintenance

adjective

Of a person, needing a great deal of attention, reassurance or effort to keep happy.

high-quality

adjective

Made or done to a very good standard, using good materials or careful work, so that it performs well and lasts.

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.

highfalutin

adj

Behaving as if you are more important than you really are; pompous.

highfather

noun

An older man who is respected as a leader or head of a family.

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.

highwrought

adj

Very worked up or emotionally overexcited.

Higuchi

name

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

HIIT

noun

A style of exercise in which short bursts of very hard effort are alternated with short periods of rest or easy movement, repeated several times in one session.

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.