Etymology dictionary
huddle (v.) — hung (adj.)
huddle (v.)
1570s, "to heap or crowd together," probably from Low German hudern "to cover, to shelter" (of hens on chicks or nurses with children), from Middle Low German huden "to cover up," which is probably a frequentative form from Proto-Germanic *hud-, from PIE *keudh-, extended form of root *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal." Compare also Middle English hoderen "heap together, huddle" (c. 1300). Related: Huddled; huddling. The noun is from 1580s. U.S. football sense is from 1928.
Hudibras
title of Samuel Butler's 1663 mock-heroic satire against the Puritans; the name is said to be from Hugh de Bras, knight of the Round Table. Related: Hudibrastic (1712).
Hudson
both the bay in Canada and the river in New York named for English navigator Henry Hudson (died c. 1611), who hired on variously to the English and Dutch authorities.
hue (n.1)
"color," Old English hiw "color; form, appearance; species, kind; beauty," earlier heow, hiow, from Proto-Germanic *hiwam (source also of Old Norse hy "bird's down," Swedish hy "skin, complexion," Gothic hiwi "form, appearance"), from PIE *kiwo-, suffixed form of root *kei- (2), a color adjective of broad application (source also of Sanskrit chawi "hide, skin, complexion, color, beauty, splendor," Lithuanian šyvas "white").
A common word in Old English, squeezed into obscurity after c. 1600 by color (n.) but revived 1850s in chemistry and chromatography, often in a distinctive sense in reference to the quality of color other than luminosity and chroma.
hue (n.2)
"a shouting," mid-13c., from Old French huee "outcry, noise, tumult; war or hunting cry," probably of imitative origin (compare French hue "gee!" a cry to horses). Hue and cry is late 13c. as an Anglo-French legal term meaning "outcry calling for pursuit of a felon" (the Medieval Latin version is huesium et clamor); extended sense of "cry of alarm" is 1580s.
hueless (adj.)
Old English hiwlease "colorless;" see hue (n.1) + -less. In Old English and Middle English it also meant "formless, shapeless."
huff (v.)
mid-15c., apparently imitative of forcible exhaling. Extended sense of "to bluster with arrogance or indignation" is attested from 1590s. Related: Huffed; huffing. As a slang term for a type of narcotics abuse, by 1996. Huff cap was 17c. slang for "swaggerer, blusterer" (i.e., one with an inflated head), and was noted in 1577 among the popular terms for "strong beer or ale" (with mad dog and dragon's milk), probably because it goes to the head and huffs one's cap.
huff (n.)
1590s, "a puff of wind," also "a swell of sudden anger or arrogance," from huff (v.). To leave in a huff is recorded from 1778.
huffy (adj.)
"puffed with pride or arrogance, ready to take offense," 1670s, from huff (n.) + -y (2). Related: Huffily; huffiness. Huffish "petulant, ill-humored" is from 1755.
hug (v.)
1560s, hugge "to embrace, clasp with the arms," of unknown origin; perhaps from Old Norse hugga "to comfort," from hugr "courage, mood," from Proto-Germanic *hugjan, related to Old English hycgan "to think, consider," Gothic hugs "mind, soul, thought," and the proper name Hugh. Others have noted the similarity in some senses to German hegen "to foster, cherish," originally "to enclose with a hedge." Related: Hugged; hugging.
hug (n.)
1610s, a hold in wrestling, from hug (v.). Meaning "an affectionate embrace" is from 1650s.
hugely (adv.)
mid-14c., from huge + -ly (2).
huge (adj.)
mid-12c., apparently a shortening of Old French ahuge, ahoge "extremely large, enormous; mighty, powerful," itself of uncertain origin. Related: Hugeness.
hugeous (adj.)
early 15c., expanded form of huge with -ous. Related: Hugeously.
huggable (adj.)
hugger (n.)
"one who hugs or embraces," 1680s, agent noun from hug (v.).
hugger-mugger (adv.)
also huggermugger, "secretly, privately," 1520s, one of a number of similar-sounding reduplicated words in use around this time and meaning much the same thing, including hucker-mucker, which may be the original of the bunch if the basis is, as some think, Middle English mukre "to hoard up, conceal." Also compare Middle English hukmuck, late 15c., name of some sort of device for cleansing.
Hugh
masc. proper name, from Old North French Hugues, Old French Hue, from a Frankish name meaning "heart, mind," cognate with Old High German Hugi, related to hugu "mind, soul, thought." Very popular after the Conquest (often in Latin form Hugo); the common form was Howe, the nickname form Hudd. Its popularity is attested by the more than 90 modern surnames formed from it, including Hughes, Howe, Hudson, Hewitt, Hutchins.
Huguenot (n.)
"French puritan," 1562, from French Huguenot, which according to French sources originally was a political, not a religious, term. The name was applied in 1520s to Genevan partisans opposed to the Duke of Savoy (who joined Geneva to the Swiss Confederation), and on the most likely guess probably it is an alteration of Swiss German Eidgenoss "confederate," from Middle High German eitgenoze, from eit "oath" (from Proto-Germanic *aithaz; see oath) + genoze "comrade," cognate with Old English geneat "comrade, companion," from Proto-Germanic *ga-nautaz "he with whom one shares possessions," thus "comrade," from *nautan "thing of value, possession," from PIE root *neud- "to make use of, enjoy."
Brachet's French etymology dictionary says, "No word has had more said and written about it" and lists seven "chief suggestions" for its origin, the oldest dating to 1560; Scheler's "Dictionary of French Etymology" mentions 16 proposed derivations. The form of the French word probably altered by association with a personal name, a diminutive of Hugues. Hugues Besançon was a leader of the Genevan partisans. In France, applied generally to French Protestants because Geneva was a Calvinist center.
huh (interj.)
as a representation of a grunting exclamation, attested from c. 1600.
hula (n.)
traditional dance of Hawaii, 1825, from Hawaiian. As a verb from 1952. Hula hoop first recorded in fall of 1958, when it was a craze; so called from resemblance of motions of one using it to the dancers' hip circles.
hulk (n.)
Old English hulc "light, fast ship" (glossing Latin liburna, but in Middle English a heavy, unwieldy one), probably from Old Dutch hulke and Medieval Latin hulcus, perhaps ultimately from Greek holkas "merchant ship," literally "ship that is towed," from helkein "to pull, draw, drag" (from PIE root *selk- "to pull, draw").
"[A] word of early diffusion among the maritime peoples of Western Europe" [OED]. Meaning "body of an old, worn-out ship" is first recorded 1670s. The Hulks ("Great Expectations") were old ships used as prisons. Sense of "big, clumsy person" is first recorded c. 1400 (early 14c. as a surname: Stephen le Hulke).
hulking (adj.)
"big, clumsy," 1690s (through 18c. usually with fellow), from hulk (n.).
hulk (v.)
"to be clumsy, unwieldy, or lazy," 1789, from hulk (n.) or a back-formation from hulking. Meaning "rise massively" is from 1880. Related: Hulked; hulking.
hull (v.)
"to remove the husk of," early 15c., from hull (n.1). Related: Hulled, which can mean both "having a particular kind of hull" and "stripped of the hull."
hull (n.2)
"body of a ship," 1550s, usually said to be identical with hull (n.1) on fancied resemblance of ship keels to open peapods. Compare Latin carina "keel of a ship," originally "shell of a nut;" Greek phaselus "light passenger ship, yacht," literally "bean pod;" French coque "hull of a ship; shell of a walnut or egg." The alternative etymology is from Middle English hoole "ship's keel" (mid-15c.), from the same source as hold (n.) and conformed to hull (n.1).
hull (n.1)
"seed covering," Middle English hol, hole, from Old English hulu "husk, pod," from Proto-Germanic *hulu- "to cover" (source also of Old High German hulla, hulsa; German Hülle, Hülse, Dutch huls), from PIE root *kel- (1) "to cover, conceal, save." Figurative use by 1831.
hullabaloo (n.)
1762, hollo-ballo (with many variant spellings) "uproar, racket, noisy commotion," chiefly in northern England and Scottish, perhaps a rhyming reduplication of hollo (see hello). Bartlett ("Dictionary of Americanisms," 1848) has it as hellabaloo "riotous noise; confusion," and says it is provincial in England.
hullo
call to attract attention, by 1828; see hello.
hum (v.)
late 14c., hommen "make a murmuring sound to cover embarrassment," later hummen "to buzz, drone" (early 15c.), probably of imitative origin. Sense of "sing with closed lips" is first attested late 15c.; that of "be busy and active" is 1884, perhaps on analogy of a beehive. Related: Hummed.
humming (adj.)
1570s, "that hums," present-participle adjective from hum (v.). Meaning "brisk, vigorous, energetic" is from 1680s. Related: Hummingly. Humming-bird (1630s) so called from sound made by the rapid vibration of its wings.
hum (n.)
mid-15c., "a murmuring sound made with the voice," from hum (v.).
humane (adj.)
mid-15c., a parallel variant of human (adj.), with a form and stress that perhaps suggest a stronger association with Latin humanus than with Old French humain. Human and humane were used interchangeably in the senses "pertaining to a human being" and "having qualities befitting human beings" (c. 1500). The latter at first meant "courteous, friendly, civil, obliging," then "marked by tenderness, compassion, and a disposition to kindly treat others" (c. 1600). By early 18c. the words had differentiated in spelling and accent and humane took the "kind" sense.
Compare germane, urbane. Meaning "inflicting less pain than something else" is from 1904. Inhuman is its natural opposite. The Royal Humane Society (founded 1774) was originally to rescue drowning persons; such societies had turned to animal care by late 19c.
humanization (n.)
"a making human or humane; assimilation to humanity," 1753, also humanisation, noun of action from humanize.
humanism (n.)
along with humanist used in a variety of philosophical and theological senses 16c.-18c., especially ones concerned with the (mere) humanity of Christ, or imitating Latin humanitas "education befitting a cultivated man." See human (adj.) + -ism. In the sense "the doctrine or science of human nature," humanics (1864) has been used.
From 1832 in reference to "intelligent study and appreciation of the classics," especially in reference to the Renaissance. By 1847 in reference to "system or mode of thought in which human interests predominate" (originally often in the writings of its enemies). As a pragmatic system of thought, defined 1907 by co-founder F.C.S. Schiller as "The perception that the philosophical problem concerns human beings striving to comprehend a world of human experience by the resources of human minds."
humanity (n.)
late 14c., "kindness, graciousness, politeness; consideration for others," from Old French humanité, umanité "human nature; humankind, life on earth; pity," from Latin humanitatem (nominative humanitas) "human nature; the human race, mankind;" also "humane conduct, philanthropy, kindness; good breeding, refinement," from humanus (see human (adj.)). The dense of "human nature, human form, state or quality of being human" is c. 1400; that of "human race, humans collectively" is recorded by mid-15c.
human (adj.)
mid-15c., humain, humaigne, "human," from Old French humain, umain (adj.) "of or belonging to man" (12c.), from Latin humanus "of man, human," also "humane, philanthropic, kind, gentle, polite; learned, refined, civilized." This is in part from PIE *(dh)ghomon-, literally "earthling, earthly being," as opposed to the gods (from root *dhghem- "earth"), but there is no settled explanation of the sound changes involved. Compare Hebrew adam "man," from adamah "ground." Cognate with Old Lithuanian žmuo (accusative žmuni) "man, male person."
Human interest is from 1779. Human rights attested by 1680s; human being by 1690s. Human relations is from 1916; human resources attested by 1907, American English, apparently originally among social Christians and based on natural resources. Human comedy "sum of human activities" translates French comédie humaine (Balzac); see comedy.
humanely (adv.)
humanize (v.)
c. 1600, "make or render human," from human (adj.) + -ize. Meaning "civilize, make humane" is from 1640s. Also humanise. Related: Humanized; humanizing. Humanify "make human" is recorded from 1620s.
humanities (n.)
1702; plural of humanity (n.), which had been used in English from late 15c. in a sense "class of studies concerned with human culture" (opposed variously and at different times to divinity or sciences). Latin literae humaniores, the "more human studies" (literally "letters") are fondly believed to have been so called because they were those branches of literature (ancient classics, rhetoric, poetry) which tended to humanize or refine by their influence, but the distinction was rather of secular topics as opposed to divine ones (literae divinae).
human (n.)
"a human being," 1530s, from human (adj.). Its Old English equivalent, guma, survives only in disguise in bridegroom.
humanness (n.)
"state or quality of being human," 1727, from human (adj.) + -ness.
humaneness (n.)
humanist (n.)
1580s, "student of the classical humanities, one accomplished in literature and classical culture," from French humaniste (16c.), formed on model of Italian umanista "student of human affairs or human nature," coined by Italian poet Lodovicio Ariosto (1474-1533), from Latin humanus "human" (see human (adj.).
In this use, the original notion appears to be "human" as opposed to "divine," that is, a student of the human achievements of the pre-Christian authors and philosophers, as opposed to the theological studies of the divines. As "this new-old learning had, or was credited with, a tendency to loosen the hold of the Church upon men's beliefs," humanist also gradually came to mean "free-thinker" [Fowler]. Philosophical sense is from 1903, from Comte's Religion of Humanity (compare humanism), unconnected to the two earlier meanings, "though accidentally near one of them in effect" [Fowler].
humanistic (adj.)
1845 (humanistical is from 1716), in reference to Renaissance or classical humanism; from humanist + -ic. From 1904 in reference to a modern philosophy that concerns itself with the interests of the human race.
humanitarian (n.)
1794 in the theological sense, "one who affirms the humanity of Christ but denies his pre-existence and divinity," from human (adj.) + suffix from unitarian, etc. By 1834 as "one who professes the creed that a person's highest duty is to advance the welfare of the human race," but the closely allied sense "philanthropist, one who advocates or practices human action to solve social problems" (1842), originally was disparaging, with a suggestion of excess. Compare humanism.
As an adjective by 1834 in the theological sense "affirming the humanity or human nature of Christ;" by 1855 as "having regard for the broad interests of humanity."
humanitarianism (n.)
by 1794 as a Christian theological position that Jesus Christ possessed a human nature only, from humanitarian + -ism. As "the doctrine that philanthropy or ethical benevolence is the highest of human duties," it is attested by 1838.
humankind (n.)
"the human species," 1640s, from human + kind (n.). Originally two words. Middle English had humaigne lynage "humankind" (mid-15c.).
humanly (adv.)
c. 1500, "humanely, courteously, kindly," from human (adj.) + -ly (2). Meaning "in a human manner" is from 1610s; meaning "within the range of human experience or power" is from 1580s.
humanoid (adj.)
1871, an anthropological hybrid from human (adj.) + -oid. The earlier adjective was humaniform (1540s). As a noun, "humanoid being," from 1925. Earlier (1906) brand name of a type of cow's milk altered to be closer to human milk intended as food for infants.
humble (v.)
late 14c., "render oneself humble" (intrans.), also "to bend, kneel or bow;" late 15c. "lower (someone) in dignity" (trans.); see humble (adj.). Related: Humbled; humbling.
humbleness (n.)
late 14c., from humble (adj.) + -ness. Wyclif's word; Chaucer uses the Frenchified humblesse.
humble (adj.)
late 13c., of persons, "submissive, respectful, lowly in manner, modest, not self-asserting, obedient," from Old French humble, umble, earlier umele, from Latin humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth" (from PIE root *dhghem- "earth"). From late 14c., of things, "lowly in kind, state, condition, or amount," also, of persons, "of low birth or rank." Related: Humbly.
humble-bee (n.)
"bumble-bee," mid-15c. but suspected to be older, from humble (late 14c.), frequentative of hum (v.). + bee (n.1). Compare bumble-bee.
humble pie (n.)
to eat humble pie (1830) is from umble pie (1640s), pie made from umbles "edible inner parts of an animal" (especially deer), considered a low-class food. The similar sense of similar-sounding words (the "h" of humble (adj.) was not then pronounced) converged to make the pun. Umbles is Middle English numbles "offal," with loss of n- through assimilation into preceding article.
humbug (n.)
1751, in Oxford and Cambridge student slang, "a trick, jest, hoax, imposition, deception," a word of unknown origin; it also appeared simultaneously as a transitive verb, "deceive by false pretext." A vogue word of the early 1750s; its origin was a subject of much whimsical speculation even then. "[A]s with other and more recent words of similar introduction, the facts as to its origin appear to have been lost, even before the word became common enough to excite attention" [OED].
The meaning "spirit of deception or imposition; hollowness, sham" is from 1825.
humbuggery (n.)
"false pretense, imposition," by 1823, from humbug (q.v.) + -ery.
humdinger (n.)
1883, American English, probably from dinger, an early 19c. slang word for anything superlative; also see hummer.
humdrum (adj.)
"routine, monotonous, dull, commonplace," 1550s, probably a reduplication of hum. As a noun, "monotony, tediousness," from 1727; earlier it meant "dull person" (1590s).
humeral (adj.)
"of or pertaining to humerus; of or pertaining to the or the shoulder," 1610s; see humerus + -al (1).
humero-
word-forming element meaning "of the shoulder and," from Latin humerus "shoulder" (see humerus).
humerus (n.)
1706, "bone of the upper arm," originally (14c.) "shoulder," from Latin humerus, a common spelling of umerus "shoulder," from PIE *om(e)so- "shoulder" (source also of Sanskrit amsah, Greek ōmos, Old Norse ass, Gothic ams "shoulder"). Blount's "Glossographia" (1656) has humerous (adj.) "That hath great shoulders."
humidity (n.)
late 14c., "state or quality of being humid," from Old French humidité, umidité "dampness, humidity," from Latin humiditatem (nominative humiditas), from humidus "moist, wet" (see humid). In meteorology, "a measure of moisture in the air compared with the amount required to saturate it under current conditions, from 1820 (the full phrase, relative humidity, is by 1819).
humid (adj.)
"moist or accompanied with moisture; containing, or formed or effected by, water or vapor; wet, damp," early 15c., from Old French humide, umide "damp, wet" (15c.) or directly from Latin humidus "moist, wet," variant (probably by influence of humus "earth") of umidus, from umere "be moist, be wet," from Proto-Italic *umo- "wet" (also source of Latin umidus "wet, moist," umiditas "moisture," umor "moisture, fluid," umectus "moist, wet"), perhaps from PIE *uhrmo- "wet," from the same source as Latin urina [de Vaan].
humidifier (n.)
"device for making air more humid," by 1881, agent noun from humidify.
humidify (v.)
"to make humid," 1884 (implied in humidifying); see humid + -fy. Related: Humidified; humidification. Earlier was humify (1650s).
humidor (n.)
"humidity-controlled box or room for storing cigars and other tobacco products," 1890, from humid on model of cuspidor.
humility (n.)
early 14c., "quality of being humble," from Old French umelite "humility, modesty, sweetness" (Modern French humilité), from Latin humilitatem (nominative humilitas) "lowness, small stature; insignificance; baseness, littleness of mind," in Church Latin "meekness," from humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth," from PIE root *dhghem- "earth." In the Mercian hymns, Latin humilitatem is glossed by Old English eaðmodnisse.
humiliate (v.)
"to cause to be or appear lower or more humble; depress, especially to abase in estimation; subject to shame or disgrace; mortify," 1530s, a back-formation from humiliation or else from Late Latin humiliatus, past participle of humiliare "to humble," from humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth" (from PIE root *dhghem- "earth"). Earlier was humily "humble oneself" (mid-15c.), from Old French humilier. Related: Humiliated.
humiliation (n.)
"act of humiliating or humbling, abasement, mortification," late 14c., from Old French humiliacion (14c.) or directly from Late Latin humiliationem (nominative humiliatio) "a humbling, humiliation," noun of action from past-participle stem of humiliare "to humble," from humilis "humble" (see humble (adj.)).
humiliating (adj.)
"humbling, mortifying, depressing or bating pride," 1757, present-participle adjective from humiliate (v.). Related: Humiliatingly.
hummable (adj.)
1910, from hum (v.) + -able. Related: Hummably; hummability.
hummer (n.)
c. 1600, of insects, agent noun from hum (v.). Meaning "energetic person or thing" is 1680s; that of "excellent person or thing" is slang from 1907. As short for Humvee, attested from 1983.
hummock (n.)
"knoll, hillock," 1550s, originally nautical, "conical small hill on a seacoast," of obscure origin, though second element probably is the diminutive suffix -ock. In Florida, where the local form is hammock, it means a clump of hardwood trees on a knoll in a swamp or on a key. Related: Hummocky.
hummus (n.)
Arabic for "chickpea," by 1852 in reference to the legume. As a dish of mashed and seasoned chickpeas, by 1955; this is referred to in English from 1916 by the Middle Eastern name hummus-imdamas.
humongous (adj.)
also humungous, by 1972, American English, apparently a fanciful mash-up of huge and monstrous.
humorous (adj.)
early 15c., in physiology and medicine, "relating to the body humors, characterized by an abundance of humors," a native formation from humor (n.), or else from Medieval Latin humorosus. In Shakespeare also "whimsical, full of fancies" (1580s); "ill-humored, peevish, moody" (c. 1600). The meaning "funny, exciting laughter" dates from 1705 in English. Related: Humorously; humorousness.
humoral (adj.)
in old medicine, "pertaining to the humors of the body," early 15c., from Old French humoral (14c.), from Latin humor (see humor (n.)).
humor (v.)
1580s, "comply with (someone's) fancy or disposition;" see humor (n.). Related: Humored; humoring.
humor (n.)
mid-14c., "fluid or juice of an animal or plant," from Old North French humour "liquid, dampness; (medical) humor" (Old French humor, umor; Modern French humeur), from Latin umor "body fluid" (also humor, by false association with humus "earth"); related to umere "be wet, moist," and to uvescere "become wet" (see humid).
In old medicine, "any of the four body fluids" (blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy or black bile).
Their relative proportions were thought to determine physical condition and state of mind. This gave humor an extended sense of "mood, temporary state of mind" (recorded from 1520s); the sense of "amusing quality, funniness, jocular turn of mind" is first recorded 1680s, probably via sense of "whim, caprice" as determined by state of mind (1560s), which also produced the verb sense of "indulge (someone's) fancy or disposition." Modern French has them as doublets: humeur "disposition, mood, whim;" humour "humor." "The pronunciation of the initial h is only of recent date, and is sometimes omitted ..." [OED].
For aid in distinguishing the various devices that tend to be grouped under "humor," this guide, from Henry W. Fowler ["Modern English Usage," 1926] may be of use:
humorist (n.)
1590s, "person with the ability to entertain by comical fancy, humorous talker or writer," also "person who acts according to his humors" (obsolete), from humor (n.) + -ist. Perhaps on model of French humoriste.
humorless (adj.)
1838, from humor (n.) + -less. Related: Humorlessly; humorlessness.
humour
chiefly British English spelling of humor; see -or. Related: Humourous; humourously; humourist; humourless, etc.
hump (v.)
"to bend or raise into a hump," 1840, from hump (n.). Meaning "do the sex act with" is attested from 1785, but the source indicates it is an older word. Related: Humped; humper; humping.
hump (n.)
1680s (in hump-backed), of uncertain origin; perhaps from Dutch homp "lump," from Middle Low German hump "bump," from Proto-Germanic *hump-, from PIE *kemb- "to bend, turn, change, exchange" (see change (v.)). Replaced, or perhaps influenced by, crump, from Old English crump.
A meaning attested from 1901 is "mound in a railway yard over which cars must be pushed," which might be behind the figurative sense of "critical point of an undertaking" (1914). By 1957, hump day was in use in reference to the mid-point of a training program or course; it was extended to "Wednesday," as the mid-point of the work-week, by 1987.
humpback (adj.)
also hump-back, 1690s, from hump (n.) + back (n.). As a noun from 1709. Humpback whale is from 1725.
humph (interj.)
as a grunting sound of disdain, etc., from 1815. Humh is from c. 1600.
Humphrey
masc. proper name, from Old English Hunfrið, probably from Proto-Germanic *hun "strength" + Old English frið "peace." To dine with Duke Humphrey (17c.) meant to go without a meal, though the reason for the expression now is obscure.
Humpty-dumpty (n.)
French nursery rhyme hero (the rhyme first attested in English 1810), earlier "a short, clumsy person of either sex" (1785), probably a reduplication of Humpty, a pet form of Humphrey. Compare Georgy-porgy, etc. Originally, humpty-dumpty was a drink (1690s), "ale boiled with brandy," probably from hump and dump, but the connection is obscure and there might not be one.
humus (n.)
"vegetable mould," 1796, from Latin humus "earth, soil," probably from humi "on the ground," from PIE root *dhghem- "earth." Related: Humous (adj.).
humvee (n.)
1983, popularized 1991 in Persian Gulf War military slang, rough acronym for high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle.
Hun (n.)
person from a tribe from central Asia that overran Europe in the 4c. and 5c., Old English Hunas (plural), from Medieval Latin Hunni, apparently ultimately from Turkic Hun-yü, the name of a tribe (they were known in China as Han or Hiong-nu). Figurative sense of "reckless destroyer of beauty" is from 1806. Applied to the German in World War I by their enemies because of stories of atrocities, but the nickname originally was urged on German soldiers bound for China by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1900, which caused a scandal. Related: Hunnic; Hunnish.
Hunan
Chinese province, literally "south of the lake" (Dongting), from hu "lake" + nan "south." Related: Hunanese.
hunch (v.)
"raise or bend into a hump," 1650s; earlier "to push, thrust" (c. 1500), of unknown origin. Perhaps a variant of bunch (v.). Related: Hunched; hunching.
hunch (n.)
1620s, "a push, thrust," from hunch (v.) in its older sense. Figurative sense of "a hint, a tip" (a "push" toward a solution or answer), first recorded 1849, led to that of "premonition, presentiment" (1904).
hunchback (n.)
"person with a hunched back," 1712, back-formation from hunchbacked (1590s; see hunch).
hundred (adj., n.)
"1 more than ninety-nine, ten times ten; the number which is one more than ninety-nine; a symbol representing this number;" Old English hundred "the number of 100, a counting of 100," from Proto-Germanic *hunda-ratha- (source also of Old Frisian hundred, Old Saxon hunderod, Old Norse hundrað, German hundert); first element is Proto-Germanic *hundam "hundred" (cognate with Gothic hund, Old High German hunt), from PIE *km-tom "hundred," reduced from *dkm-tom- (source also of Sanskrit satam, Avestan satem, Greek hekaton, Latin centum, Lithuanian šimtas, Old Church Slavonic suto, Old Irish cet, Breton kant "hundred"), suffixed form of root *dekm- "ten."
The second element is Proto-Germanic *rath "reckoning, number" (as in Gothic raþjo "a reckoning, account, number," garaþjan "to count;" from PIE root *re- "to reason, count"). The common word for the number in Old English was simple hund, and Old English also used hund-teontig.
Meaning "division of a county or shire with its own court" (still in some British place names and U.S. state of Delaware) was in Old English and probably represents 100 hides of land. The Hundred Years War (which ran intermittently from 1337 to 1453) was first so called in 1874. The original Hundred Days was the period between Napoleon's restoration and his final abdication in 1815.
hundredfold (n.)
c. 1200, "a hundred times as much," from hundred + -fold. Similar formation in German hundertfalt. Old English had hundfeald.
hundredth (adj., n.)
"next in order after the ninety-ninth; an ordinal numeral; being one of one hundred equal parts into which a whole is regarded as divided;" early 14c., "one of 100 equal parts," from hundred + -th (1). According to OED, Old English had no ordinal form. The hymn tune known as Old Hundredth is attested from mid-16c., so called because later it was set to the 100th Psalm in the old numbering of the psalter.
hundredweight (n.)
1540s, from hundred + weight. Commonly 100 lbs., but it could vary locally and in specific uses up to 120 lbs.
hung (adj.)
"attached so as to hang down, suspended in air," past-participle adjective from hang (v.). Meaning "furnished with hangings" is from 1640s; meaning "having (impressive) male genitals" is from 1640s, originally often of animals; of a jury, "unable to agree," 1838, American English. Hung-over (also hungover) in the drinking sense is from 1950 (see hangover). Hung-up is from 1878 as "delayed;" by 1961 as "obsessed."