"H" Word Origins

hygienist

Origin

Formed from "hygiene" plus the "-ist" suffix, meaning "a person who practises."

hyle

Origin

From Medieval Latin hyle, from Ancient Greek ὕλη (húlē, “wood, matter”), particularly in Aristotle as πρώτη ὕλη (prṓtē húlē, “protomatter, fundamental undifferentiated matter”).

hylic

Origin

From Medieval Latin hylicus, from Ancient Greek ὑλικός (hulikós, “wooden, material”), from ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē, “wood, matter”) + -ικός (-ikós, “-ic, forming adjectives”). As a noun, a clipped calque of homo hylicus (“hylic man”).

hylical

Origin

From hyle + -ical, originally translating Latin hylicus in notes on Irenaeus's Against Heretics after the manner of earlier psychical and pneumatical, from Ancient Greek ὑλικός (hulikós, “wooden, material”), from ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē, “wood, matter”) + -ικός (-ikós, “-ic, forming adjectives”).

hymen

Late Latin

From Greek humen, meaning "skin" or "membrane," via Late Latin and Middle French.

hymn

Latin

From Old English ymen, reinforced by Old French ymne, both from Latin hymnus, borrowed from Greek humnos.

hynes

Origin

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Eidhin (“descendant of Eidhin”).

hyoid

French

From French hyoïde, based on Greek for "shaped like the letter upsilon (υ)" — describing the bone's U-like curve.

hyoscine

Origin

From hyosc(yamus) + -ine.

hype

Origin

A clipped, shortened form of "hyperbole."

hyper

Origin

A shortened, everyday form of words built from the prefix "hyper-" (meaning "over" or "excessive"), most commonly standing in for "hyperactive."

hyperactive

Origin

Built from hyper- ("over, excessive") + active.

hyperbola

Origin

From New Latin hyperbola, from Ancient Greek ὑπερβολή (huperbolḗ). Doublet of hyperbole.

hyperbole

Greek

From Greek hyperbolē ("excess, exaggeration"), literally "a throwing beyond" — from hyper- ("above") + ballein ("to throw"). A doublet of "hyperbola," the math curve.

hyperbolic

Origin

From Latin hyperbolic(us), from Ancient Greek ὑπερβολικός (huperbolikós). First attested in the 15th century. By surface analysis, hyperbol(e) + -ic.

hypercapnia

Origin

From hyper- + capn- + -ia; more at capno- § Etymology.

hyperdrive

Origin

From hyper- + drive.

Hyperion

Ancient Greek

From Ancient Greek Ὑπερίων (Hyperíōn).

hyperlexia

Origin

From hyper- + lexis + -ia.

hypermarket

Origin

From hyper- + market, calque of French hypermarché.

hypermetropic

Origin

From hypermetropia + -ic.

hyperopia

Origin

From hyper- + -opia.

hyperopic

Origin

From hyperopia + -ic.

hyperoxemia

Origin

By surface analysis, hyper- + ox- + -emia.

hypersensitive

Origin

From hyper- + sensitive. Doublet of supersensitive.

hyperspace

Origin

From hyper- + space.

hypertapping

Origin

From hyper- + tapping.

hypertension

Origin

From hyper- ("over") + tension, describing pressure in the arteries that's higher than normal.

hypertensive

Origin

From hyper- + tensive or hypertension + -ive.

hypertrophy

Greek

From Greek hyper-, over or excessive, and trophē, nourishment.

hyperventilating

Greek

From Greek hyper-, over or excessive, and Latin ventilare, to fan or blow.

hyphen

Origin

Learned borrowing from Late Latin hyphen, from Ancient Greek ῠ̔φέν (hŭphén, “in one, as a single word”), univerbation of ῠ̔φ’ ἕν (hŭph’ hén, “under one”), from ῠ̔πο- (hŭpo-, “under”) + ἕν (hén, “one”), neuter of εἷς (heîs, “one”).

hypnopompic

Origin

From hypno- (“sleep”) + Ancient Greek πομπή (pompḗ, “a sending away”) + -ic.

hypnosis

Greek

Coined in modern scholarly Greek from hypnos ("sleep"), filling a gap between older Greek words for "to put to sleep" and "sleep-inducing."

hypnotic

French

From French hypnotique, ultimately from Greek hypnos ("sleep").

hypnotise

Origin

Derived from hypnot(ic) + -ise (verbal derivational suffix).

hypnotism

Origin

From hypnotize + -ism.

hypnotist

Origin

From hypnotize + -ist.

hypnotize

Origin

From hypnotic + -ize.

hypnotizer

Origin

From hypnotize + -er.

hypo

Greek

A clipped form of various words beginning with hypo- ("under"), from Greek hupo.

hypoactive

Origin

From hypo- + active.

hypocaust

Origin

From Latin hypocaustum, from Ancient Greek ὑπόκαυστον (hupókauston), from Ancient Greek ὑπό (hupó, “underneath”) + καυστόν (kaustón, “burnt offering”).

hypochondriac

French

From French hypocondriaque, from Greek hypokhondriakos, literally "of the region below the ribs" — ancient physicians once linked that area of the body to melancholy and health anxiety.

hypocorism

Origin

Borrowed from Late Latin hypocorisma, a loan from Ancient Greek ὑποκόρισμα (hupokórisma), ὑποκορισμός (hupokorismós, “pet name”), from ὑποκορίζεσθαι (hupokorízesthai), ὑποκορίζομαι (hupokorízomai, “to use a pet name; to act in a childish manner”), from ῠ̔πο- (hŭpo-, prefix indicating a small degree) + κορίζομαι (korízomai, “to caress”) (from κόρος (kóros, “boy; youth”), κόρη (kórē, “girl; young woman”)).

hypocrisy

Greek

From Greek hypokrisis ("stage acting, pretense"), from hypokrinomai ("to play a part, dissemble") — the same root that gives us "hypocrite."

hypocrite

Greek

From Greek hypokritēs, originally meaning "stage actor" — someone playing a part rather than being genuine.

hypocritical

Greek

From Greek hypokritikos, related to hypokritēs ("actor, hypocrite").