Dictionary — H

A personal lexicon of unusual, archaic, scientific, and otherwise interesting words encountered in reading. Browse other letters from the Dictionary catalog.

Word	Definition
habitué	a person who frequents a particular place, esp. a place offering a specific pleasurable activity
hack	(computer science) to work or perform as a hacker.
hacker	(computer science) one who is proficient at using or programming a computer; a computer buff; one who illegally gains access to or enters another’s electronic system to obtain secret information or steal money.
hadrons	family of elementary particles
haft	handle, esp. of a tool or weapon
hag	a witch
hagridden	tormented or harassed, as by unreasoning fears.
hairbrained
ham	amateur, inexpert performer, inexperienced or ineffective acting or actor, one who rants and overacts
hamadryad	(Greek and Roman Mythology) a wood nymph who lives only as long as the tree of which she is the spirit lives
hamadryas	baboon of Africa and Arabia
hanker	to have a strong, restless desire
harangue	a bombastic ranting speech; lecture.
harebrained	foolish, flighty
harpsichord	string instrument whose strings are plucked; cembalo; clavier.
harpy	(Myth) One of several loathsome, voracious monsters with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail, wings and talons of a bird. A predatory person. A shrewish woman
haughty	disdainfully proud, insolent, lordly, overbearing, arrogant.
haute	fashionably elegant
haute cuisine	elaborate or skillfully prepared food; the characteristic manner or style of preparing such food.
hauteur	haughtiness.
haze	to persecute or harass with meaningless, difficult or humiliating tasks; to initiate, as into a college fraternity, by exacting humiliating performances from or playing rough practical jokes upon.
heather	a low-growing shrub growing in dense masses with small green leaves and clusters of small, bell-shaped pinkish-purple flowers.
Hecate	(Greek mythology) a fertility goddess associated with Persephone as queen of Hades and protector of witches
hecatomb	a large scale sacrifice or slaughter
hedonism	pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, esp. to pleasures of the senses
heft	n. weight; heaviness; bulk; tr.v. to lift (something) in order to judge or estimate its weight; to hoist (something); heave; intr.v. to have a given weight
heighho	used to express fatigue, mild surprise, boredom, disappointment, or sometimes exultation
hemiolia
hemlock	coniferous evergreen tree; poison obtained from poison hemlock
hetero-	other, different; containing different kinds of atoms
heuristic	of or relating to a usually speculative formulation serving as a guide in the investigation or solution of a problem.
hew	tr.v. to make or shape with or as if with an ax; to cut down with an ax; fell; to strike or cut; cleave; intr.v. to cut something by repeated blows, as of an ax; to confirm or adhere strictly; hold
hircine	of or characteristic of a goat, esp. in strong odor
hoary	gray or white as with age; so old as to instil veneration.
hobgoblin	an object or a source of fear, dread, or harassment
hobnob	to associate familiarly
hoi polloi	the masses, the common people
hoist with his own petard	blown up by his own bomb, ruined by his own devices against others.
hologram	pattern produced by holography; holograph
holograph	a document written wholly in the handwriting of the person whose signature it bears
holography	method of producing a 3D image of an object using a laser beam
homeric	heroic in proportion, degree or character; epic
homiletic	relating to or of the nature of a homily; relating to homiletics
homiletics	the art of preaching
homocentric	man-centered.
homotopy
hopper	a funnel-shaped container in which materials, such as grain or fuel, are stored in readiness for dispensation
hortatory	marked by exhortation or strong urging
houri	nymph of Muslim Paradise; voluptuously beautiful woman
hovel	a small, wretched and often dirty house, hut.
hubbub	loud noise; din; confusion, tumult
hubris	exaggerated pride or self-confidence.
hull	n. the dry outer covering of a fruit, seed or nut; a husk; the enlarged calyx of a fruit that is usually green and easily detached. The frame or body of a ship or other large vehicle. tr.v. to remove the hulls of (fruit or seeds)
hummus	a smooth, thick mixture of mashed chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon juice, and garlic, used esp. as a dip for pita
hurdy-gurdy	medieval musical instrument played by turning crank and depressing keys
hustings	a place where political campaign speeches are made. The activities involved in political campaigning
huzzah	used to express joy, encouragement or triumph; a cheer
hymnody	the singing, composing or writing of hymns.
hypocycloid	(math) the plane locus of a point fixed on a circle that rolls on the inside circumference of a fixed circle
hypostasis	the substance, essence, or underlying reality.
hypostatize	to ascribe material existence to.
hypothecate	tr.v. to pledge (property) as security for a debt without transfer of title or possession