9 letter word starting with h

by
Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
haberdash verb i. To deal in small wares.
haberdine noun A cod salted and dried.
habergeon noun Properly, a short hauberk, but often used loosely for the hauberk.
habitable adjective Capable of being inhabited; that may be inhabited or dwelt in; as, the habitable world.
habitakle verb A dwelling place.
habitance noun Dwelling; abode; residence.
habitator noun A dweller; an inhabitant.
habituate verb t. To make accustomed; to accustom; to familiarize., To settle as an inhabitant., Firmly established by custom; formed by habit; habitual.
hackamore noun A halter consisting of a long leather or rope strap and headstall, — used for leading or tieing a pack animal.
hackberry noun A genus of trees (Celtis) related to the elm, but bearing drupes with scanty, but often edible, pulp. C. occidentalis is common in the Eastern United States.
hackneyed imp. & past participle of Hackney
hacqueton noun Same as Acton.
haecceity Literally, this-ness. A scholastic term to express individuality or singleness; as, this book.
haematite noun Same as Hematite.
haematoid adjective Same as Hematoid.
haematoin noun A substance formed from the hematin of blood, by removal of the iron through the action of concentrated sulphuric acid. Two like bodies, called respectively haematoporphyrin and haematolin, are formed in a similar manner.
hagbutter noun A soldier armed with a hagbut or arquebus.
haggadoth plural of Haggada
haggardly adverb In a haggard manner.
haggishly adverb In the manner of a hag.
hagiarchy noun A sacred government; by holy orders of men.
hagiology noun The history or description of the sacred writings or of sacred persons; a narrative of the lives of the saints; a catalogue of saints.
hag-taper noun The great woolly mullein (Verbascum Thapsus).
hailstone noun A single particle of ice falling from a cloud; a frozen raindrop; a pellet of hail.
hailstorm noun A storm accompanied with hail; a shower of hail.
hairbrush noun A brush for cleansing and smoothing the hair.
haircloth noun Stuff or cloth made wholly or in part of hair.
hairiness noun The state of abounding, or being covered, with hair.
hair-salt noun A variety of native Epsom salt occurring in silky fibers.
halachoth plural of Halacha
half-boot noun A boot with a short top covering only the ankle. See Cocker, and Congress boot, under Congress.
half-bred adjective Half-blooded., Imperfectly acquainted with the rules of good-breeding; not well trained.
half-deck noun A shell of the genus Crepidula; a boat shell. See Boat shell., See Half deck, under Deck.
half-fish noun A salmon in its fifth year of growth.
half-mast noun A point some distance below the top of a mast or staff; as, a flag a half-mast (a token of mourning, etc.).
half-moon noun The moon at the quarters, when half its disk appears illuminated., The shape of a half-moon; a crescent., An outwork composed of two faces, forming a salient angle whose gorge resembles a half-moon; — now called a ravelin., A marine, sparoid, food fish of California (Caesiosoma Californiense). The body is ovate, blackish above, blue or gray below. Called also medialuna.
half-pike noun A short pike, sometimes carried by officers of infantry, sometimes used in boarding ships; a spontoon.
half-port noun One half of a shutter made in two parts for closing a porthole.
half-read adjective Informed by insufficient reading; superficial; shallow.
haliotoid adjective Like or pertaining to the genus Haliotis; ear-shaped.
halituous adjective Produced by, or like, breath; vaporous.
hallidome noun Same as Halidom.
hall-mark noun The official stamp of the Goldsmiths’ Company and other assay offices, in the United Kingdom, on gold and silver articles, attesting their purity. Also used figuratively; — as, a word or phrase lacks the hall-mark of the best writers.
hallowing present participle & vb. noun of Hallow
halloween noun The evening preceding Allhallows or All Saints’ Day.
hallowmas noun The feast of All Saints, or Allhallows.
halomancy noun See Alomancy.
halometer noun An instrument for measuring the forms and angles of salts and crystals; a goniometer.
halophyte noun A plant found growing in salt marshes, or in the sea.
haloscope noun An instrument for exhibition or illustration of the phenomena of halos, parhelia, and the like.
halsening adjective Sounding harshly in the throat; inharmonious; rough.
haltering present participle & vb. noun of Halter
haltingly adverb In a halting or limping manner.
halysites noun A genus of Silurian fossil corals; the chain corals. See Chain coral, under Chain.
hamadryad noun A tree nymph whose life ended with that of the particular tree, usually an oak, which had been her abode., A large venomous East Indian snake (Orhiophagus bungarus), allied to the cobras.
hamadryas noun The sacred baboon of Egypt (Cynocephalus Hamadryas).
hamamelis noun A genus of plants which includes the witch-hazel (Hamamelis Virginica), a preparation of which is used medicinally.
hammering present participle & vb. noun of Hammer
hammerkop noun A bird of the Heron family; the umber.
hammermen plural of Hammerman
hammerman noun A hammerer; a forgeman.
hampering present participle & vb. noun of Hamper
hamstring noun One of the great tendons situated in each side of the ham, or space back of the knee, and connected with the muscles of the back of the thigh., To lame or disable by cutting the tendons of the ham or knee; to hough; hence, to cripple; to incapacitate; to disable.
hamstrung imp. & past participle of Hamstring
handcloth noun A handkerchief.
handcraft noun Same as Handicraft.
hand flus plural of Handful
hand-hole noun A small hole in a boiler for the insertion of the hand in cleaning, etc.
handiness noun The quality or state of being handy.
handiwork noun Work done by the hands; hence, any work done personally.
handseled imp. & past participle of Handsel, of Handsel
handspike noun A bar or lever, generally of wood, used in a windlass or capstan, for heaving anchor, and, in modified forms, for various purposes.
handwheel noun Any wheel worked by hand; esp., one the rim of which serves as the handle by which a valve, car brake, or other part is adjusted.
hand-work noun See Handiwork.
hang-bies plural of Hang-by
hanger-on noun One who hangs on, or sticks to, a person, place, or service; a dependent; one who adheres to others’ society longer than he is wanted.
hankering present participle & vb. noun of Hanker
hanseatic adjective Pertaining to the Hanse towns, or to their confederacy.
hap’penny noun A half-penny.
haphazard noun Extra hazard; chance; accident; random.
haplessly adverb In a hapless, unlucky manner.
happening present participle & vb. noun of Happen
happiness noun Good luck; good fortune; prosperity., An agreeable feeling or condition of the soul arising from good fortune or propitious happening of any kind; the possession of those circumstances or that state of being which is attended enjoyment; the state of being happy; contentment; joyful satisfaction; felicity; blessedness., Fortuitous elegance; unstudied grace; — used especially of language.
hara-kiri noun Suicide, by slashing the abdomen, formerly practiced in Japan, and commanded by the government in the cases of disgraced officials; disembowelment; — also written, but incorrectly, hari-kari.
harangued imp. & past participle of Harangue
haranguer noun One who harangues, or is fond of haranguing; a declaimer.
harassing present participle & vb. noun of Harass
harberous adjective Harborous.
harbinger noun One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the English royal household who formerly preceded the court when traveling, to provide and prepare lodgings., A forerunner; a precursor; a messenger., To usher in; to be a harbinger of.
harboring present participle & vb. noun of Harbor
harborage noun Shelter; entertainment.
harbrough A shelter.
harborous adjective Hospitable.
hardening present participle & vb. noun of Harden, Making hard or harder., That which hardens, as a material used for converting the surface of iron into steel.
harderian adjective A term applied to a lachrymal gland on the inner side of the orbit of many animals which have a third eyelid, or nictitating membrane. See Nictitating membrane, under Nictitate.
hardiment noun Hardihood; boldness; courage; energetic action.
hardiness noun Capability of endurance., Hardihood; boldness; firmness; assurance., Hardship; fatigue.
hard-tack noun A name given by soldiers and sailors to a kind of hard biscuit or sea bread.
harehound noun See Harrier.
harlequin noun A buffoon, dressed in party-colored clothes, who plays tricks, often without speaking, to divert the bystanders or an audience; a merry-andrew; originally, a droll rogue of Italian comedy., To play the droll; to make sport by playing ludicrous tricks., Toremove or conjure away, as by a harlequin’s trick.
harlotize verb i. To harlot.
harmaline noun An alkaloid found in the plant Peganum harmala. It forms bitter, yellow salts.
harmattan noun A dry, hot wind, prevailing on the Atlantic coast of Africa, in December, January, and February, blowing from the interior or Sahara. It is usually accompanied by a haze which obscures the sun.
harmonica noun A musical instrument, consisting of a series of hemispherical glasses which, by touching the edges with the dampened finger, give forth the tones., A toy instrument of strips of glass or metal hung on two tapes, and struck with hammers.
harmonics noun The doctrine or science of musical sounds., Secondary and less distinct tones which accompany any principal, and apparently simple, tone, as the octave, the twelfth, the fifteenth, and the seventeenth. The name is also applied to the artificial tones produced by a string or column of air, when the impulse given to it suffices only to make a part of the string or column vibrate; overtones.
harmonist noun One who shows the agreement or harmony of corresponding passages of different authors, as of the four evangelists., One who understands the principles of harmony or is skillful in applying them in composition; a musical composer., Alt. of Harmonite
harmonite noun One of a religious sect, founded in Wurtemburg in the last century, composed of followers of George Rapp, a weaver. They had all their property in common. In 1803, a portion of this sect settled in Pennsylvania and called the village thus established, Harmony.
harmonium noun A musical instrument, resembling a small organ and especially designed for church music, in which the tones are produced by forcing air by means of a bellows so as to cause the vibration of free metallic reeds. It is now made with one or two keyboards, and has pedals and stops.
harmonize verb i. To agree in action, adaptation, or effect on the mind; to agree in sense or purport; as, the parts of a mechanism harmonize., To be in peace and friendship, as individuals, families, or public organizations., To agree in vocal or musical effect; to form a concord; as, the tones harmonize perfectly., To adjust in fit proportions; to cause to agree; to show the agreement of; to reconcile the apparent contradiction of., To accompany with harmony; to provide with parts, as an air, or melody.
harmonies plural of Harmony
harmotome noun A hydrous silicate of alumina and baryta, occurring usually in white cruciform crystals; cross-stone.
harnessed imp. & past participle of Harness
harnesser noun One who harnesses.
harpooned imp. & past participle of Harpoon
harpooner noun One who throws the harpoon.
harquebus noun Alt. of Harquebuse
harrowing present participle & vb. noun of Harrow
harshness noun The quality or state of being harsh.
hartbeest noun A large South African antelope (Alcelaphus caama), formerly much more abundant than it is now. The face and legs are marked with black, the rump with white.
hartshorn noun The horn or antler of the hart, or male red deer., Spirits of hartshorn (see below); volatile salts.
haruspice noun A diviner of ancient Rome. Same as Aruspice.
haruspicy noun The art or practices of haruspices. See Aruspicy.
harvested imp. & past participle of Harvest
harvester noun One who harvests; a machine for cutting and gathering grain; a reaper., A harvesting ant.
harvestry noun The act of harvesting; also, that which is harvested.
hastening present participle & vb. noun of Hasten
hastiness noun The quality or state of being hasty; haste; precipitation; rashness; quickness of temper.
hatcheled imp. & past participle of Hatchel
hatcheler noun One who uses a hatchel.
hatchment noun A sort of panel, upon which the arms of a deceased person are temporarily displayed, — usually on the walls of his dwelling. It is lozenge-shaped or square, but is hung cornerwise. It is used in England as a means of giving public notification of the death of the deceased, his or her rank, whether married, widower, widow, etc. Called also achievement., A sword or other mark of the profession of arms; in general, a mark of dignity.
haughtily adverb In a haughty manner; arrogantly.
haustella plural of Haustellum
haustoria plural of Haustorium
haversack noun A bag for oats or oatmeal., A bag or case, usually of stout cloth, in which a soldier carries his rations when on a march; — distinguished from knapsack., A gunner’s case or bag used carry cartridges from the ammunition chest to the piece in loading.
haversian adjective Pertaining to, or discovered by, Clopton Havers, an English physician of the seventeenth century.
hawk-eyed adjective Having a keen eye; sharpsighted; discerning.
hawk moth Any moth of the family Sphingidae, of which there are numerous genera and species. They are large, handsome moths, which fly mostly at twilight and hover about flowers like a humming bird, sucking the honey by means of a long, slender proboscis. The larvae are large, hairless caterpillars ornamented with green and other bright colors, and often with a caudal spine. See Sphinx, also Tobacco worm, and Tomato worm.
haymaking noun The operation or work of cutting grass and curing it for hay.
hazarding present participle & vb. / of Hazard
hazardize noun A hazardous attempt or situation; hazard.
hazardous adjective Exposed to hazard; dangerous; risky.
hazelwort noun The asarabacca.
headbeard noun A board or boarding which marks or forms the head of anything; as, the headboard of a bed; the headboard of a grave.
headdress noun A covering or ornament for the head; a headtire., A manner of dressing the hair or of adorning it, whether with or without a veil, ribbons, combs, etc.
headfirst adverb Alt. of Headforemost
head gear noun Alt. of Headgear
headiness noun The quality of being heady.
headlight noun A light, with a powerful reflector, placed at the head of a locomotive, or in front of it, to throw light on the track at night, or in going through a dark tunnel.
headpiece noun Head., A cap of defense; especially, an open one, as distinguished from the closed helmet of the Middle Ages., Understanding; mental faculty., An engraved ornament at the head of a chapter, or of a page.
headshake noun A significant shake of the head, commonly as a signal of denial.
headstall noun That part of a bridle or halter which encompasses the head.
headstock noun A part (usually separate from the bed or frame) for supporting some of the principal working parts of a machine, The part of a lathe that holds the revolving spindle and its attachments; — also called poppet head, the opposite corresponding part being called a tailstock., The part of a planing machine that supports the cutter, etc.
headstone noun The principal stone in a foundation; the chief or corner stone., The stone at the head of a grave.
healingly adverb So as to heal or cure.
healthful adjective Full of health; free from illness or disease; well; whole; sound; healthy; as, a healthful body or mind; a healthful plant., Serving to promote health of body or mind; wholesome; salubrious; salutary; as, a healthful air, diet., Indicating, characterized by, or resulting from, health or soundness; as, a healthful condition., Well-disposed; favorable.
healthily adverb In a healthy manner.
hearkened imp. & past participle of Hearken
hearkener noun One who hearkens; a listener.
heartache noun Sorrow; anguish of mind; mental pang.
heartburn noun An uneasy, burning sensation in the stomach, often attended with an inclination to vomit. It is sometimes idiopathic, but is often a symptom of often complaints.
heartdear adjective Sincerely beloved.
heartdeep adjective Rooted in the heart.
heartener noun One who, or that which, heartens, animates, or stirs up.
heartfelt adjective Hearty; sincere.
heariness noun The quality of being hearty; as, the heartiness of a greeting.
heartless adjective Without a heart., Destitute of courage; spiritless; despodent., Destitute of feeling or affection; unsympathetic; cruel.
heartseed noun A climbing plant of the genus Cardiospermum, having round seeds which are marked with a spot like a heart.
heartsick adjective Sick at heart; extremely depressed in spirits; very despondent.
heartsome adjective Merry; cheerful; lively.
heartwood noun The hard, central part of the trunk of a tree, consisting of the old and matured wood, and usually differing in color from the outer layers. It is technically known as duramen, and distinguished from the softer sapwood or alburnum.
heathclad adjective Clad or crowned with heath.
heathenry noun The state, quality, or character of the heathen., Heathendom; heathen nations.
heatingly adverb In a heating manner; so as to make or become hot or heated.
heavening present participle & vb. noun of Heaven
heavenize verb t. To render like heaven or fit for heaven.
heaviness noun The state or quality of being heavy in its various senses; weight; sadness; sluggishness; oppression; thickness.
heavisome adjective Heavy; dull.
hebetated imp. & past participle of Hebetate
hebraized imp. & past participle of Hebraize
hebrewess noun An Israelitish woman.
hebrician noun A Hebraist.
hebridean adjective Alt. of Hebridian
hebridian adjective Of or pertaining to the islands called Hebrides, west of Scotland., A native or inhabitant of the Hebrides.
hecdecane noun A white, semisolid, spermaceti-like hydrocarbon, C16H34, of the paraffin series, found dissolved as an important ingredient of kerosene, and so called because each molecule has sixteen atoms of carbon; — called also hexadecane.
hectogram noun A measure of weight, containing a hundred grams, or about 3.527 ounces avoirdupois.
hectoring present participle & vb. noun of Hector
hectorism noun The disposition or the practice of a hector; a bullying.
hedgeborn adjective Born under a hedge; of low birth.
hedgebote noun Same as Haybote.
hedgeless adjective Having no hedge.
heelpiece noun A piece of armor to protect the heels., A piece of leather fixed on the heel of a shoe., The end.
hegemonic adjective Alt. of Hegemonical
hektogram noun Alt. of Hektometer
heliconia noun One of numerous species of Heliconius, a genus of tropical American butterflies. The wings are usually black, marked with green, crimson, and white.
heliolite noun A fossil coral of the genus Heliolites, having twelve-rayed cells. It is found in the Silurian rocks.
heliopora noun An East Indian stony coral now known to belong to the Alcyonaria; — called also blue coral.
heliostat noun An instrument consisting of a mirror moved by clockwork, by which a sunbeam is made apparently stationary, by being steadily directed to one spot during the whole of its diurnal period; also, a geodetic heliotrope.
heliotype noun A picture obtained by the process of heliotypy.
heliotypy noun A method of transferring pictures from photographic negatives to hardened gelatin plates from which impressions are produced on paper as by lithography.
hellbroth noun A composition for infernal purposes; a magical preparation.
hellebore noun A genus of perennial herbs (Helleborus) of the Crowfoot family, mostly having powerfully cathartic and even poisonous qualities. H. niger is the European black hellebore, or Christmas rose, blossoming in winter or earliest spring. H. officinalis was the officinal hellebore of the ancients., Any plant of several species of the poisonous liliaceous genus Veratrum, especially V. album and V. viride, both called white hellebore.
hellenian adjective Of or pertaining to the Hellenes, or Greeks.
hellenism noun A phrase or form of speech in accordance with genius and construction or idioms of the Greek language; a Grecism., The type of character of the ancient Greeks, who aimed at culture, grace, and amenity, as the chief elements in human well-being and perfection.
hellenist noun One who affiliates with Greeks, or imitates Greek manners; esp., a person of Jewish extraction who used the Greek language as his mother tongue, as did the Jews of Asia Minor, Greece, Syria, and Egypt; distinguished from the Hebraists, or native Jews (Acts vi. 1)., One skilled in the Greek language and literature; as, the critical Hellenist.
hellenize verb i. To use the Greek language; to play the Greek; to Grecize., To give a Greek form or character to; to Grecize; as, to Hellenize a word.
hellhound noun A dog of hell; an agent of hell.
helvetian adjective Same as Helvetic., A Swiss; a Switzer.
hemachate noun A species of agate, sprinkled with spots of red jasper.
hematherm noun A warm-blooded animal.
hematinon noun A red consisting of silica, borax, and soda, fused with oxide of copper and iron, and used in enamels, mosaics, etc.
hematitic adjective Of or pertaining to hematite, or resembling it.
hematosin noun The hematin of blood.
hematosis noun Sanguification; the conversion of chyle into blood., The arterialization of the blood in the lungs; the formation of blood in general; haematogenesis.
hematuria noun Passage of urine mingled with blood.
hemelytra plural of Hemelytrum
hemerobid adjective Of relating to the hemerobians.
hemicrany noun Hemicranis.
hemicycle noun A half circle; a semicircle., A semicircular place, as a semicircular arena, or room, or part of a room.
hemiglyph noun The half channel or groove in the edge of the triglyph in the Doric order.
hemiopsia noun A defect of vision in consequence of which a person sees but half of an object looked at.
hemiplegy noun Hemiplegia.
hemiptera noun pl. An order of hexapod insects having a jointed proboscis, including four sharp stylets (mandibles and maxillae), for piercing. In many of the species (Heteroptera) the front wings are partially coriaceous, and different from the others.
hemistich noun Half a poetic verse or line, or a verse or line not completed.
hemitrope adjective Half turned round; half inverted; (Crystallog.) having a twinned structure., That which is hemitropal in construction; (Crystallog.) a twin crystal having a hemitropal structure.
hemitropy noun Twin composition in crystals.
hemselven pronoun Themselves; — used reflexively.
hemstitch verb t. To ornament at the head of a broad hem by drawing out a few parallel threads, and fastening the cross threads in successive small clusters; as, to hemstitch a handkerchief.
hendecane noun A hydrocarbon, C11H24, of the paraffin series; — so called because it has eleven atoms of carbon in each molecule. Called also endecane, undecane.
hendiadys noun A figure in which the idea is expressed by two nouns connected by and, instead of by a noun and limiting adjective; as, we drink from cups and gold, for golden cups.
henhouses plural of Henhouse
henoge ny noun Alt. of Henogenesis
henpecked imp. & past participle of Henpeck
hepaticae plural of Hepatica
hepatical adjective Hepatic.
hepatitis noun Inflammation of the liver.
hepatized imp. & past participle of Hepatize
heptaglot noun A book in seven languages.
heptarchy noun A government by seven persons; also, a country under seven rulers.
heptylene noun A colorless liquid hydrocarbon, C7H14, of the ethylene series; also, any one of its isomers. Called also heptene.
herakline noun A picrate compound, used as an explosive in blasting.
heralding present participle & vb. noun of Herald
herbalism noun The knowledge of herbs.
herbalist noun One skilled in the knowledge of plants; a collector of, or dealer in, herbs, especially medicinal herbs.
herbarian noun A herbalist.
herbarist noun A herbalist.
herbarium noun A collection of dried specimens of plants, systematically arranged., A book or case for preserving dried plants.
herbarize verb t. See Herborize.
herbivora noun pl. An extensive division of Mammalia. It formerly included the Proboscidea, Hyracoidea, Perissodactyla, and Artiodactyla, but by later writers it is generally restricted to the two latter groups (Ungulata). They feed almost exclusively upon vegetation.
herbivore noun One of the Herbivora.
herborist noun A herbalist.
herborize verb i. To search for plants, or new species of plants, with a view to classifying them., To form the figures of plants in; — said in reference to minerals. See Arborized.
herculean adjective Requiring the strength of Hercules; hence, very great, difficult, or dangerous; as, an Herculean task., Having extraordinary strength or size; as, Herculean limbs.
hercynian adjective Of or pertaining to an extensive forest in Germany, of which there are still portions in Swabia and the Hartz mountains.
herderite noun A rare fluophosphate of glucina, in small white crystals.
herdgroom noun A herdsman.
hereafter adverb In time to come; in some future time or state., A future existence or state.
herehence adverb From hence.
heretical adjective Containing heresy; of the nature of, or characterized by, heresy.
heritable adjective Capable of being inherited or of passing by inheritance; inheritable., Capable of inheriting or receiving by inheritance.
heritance noun Heritage; inheritance.
hermitage noun The habitation of a hermit; a secluded residence., A celebrated French wine, both white and red, of the Department of Drome.
hermitary noun A cell annexed to an abbey, for the use of a hermit.
hermitess noun A female hermit.
heronshaw noun A heron.
herpetism noun See Dartrous diathesis, under Dartrous.
hersillon noun A beam with projecting spikes, used to make a breach impassable.
hesitancy noun The act of hesitating, or pausing to consider; slowness in deciding; vacillation; also, the manner of one who hesitates., A stammering; a faltering in speech.
hesitated imp. & past participle of Hesitate
hesperian adjective Western; being in the west; occidental., A native or an inhabitant of a western country., Of or pertaining to a family of butterflies called Hesperidae, or skippers., Any one of the numerous species of Hesperidae; a skipper.
hesternal adjective Pertaining to yesterday. [Obs.] See Yester, a.
hesychast noun One of a mystical sect of the Greek Church in the fourteenth century; a quietist.
hetairism noun Alt. of Hetarism
heterodox adjective Contrary to, or differing from, some acknowledged standard, as the Bible, the creed of a church, the decree of a council, and the like; not orthodox; heretical; — said of opinions, doctrines, books, etc., esp. upon theological subjects., Holding heterodox opinions, or doctrines not orthodox; heretical; — said of persons., An opinion opposed to some accepted standard.
heteronym noun That which is heteronymous; a thing having a different name or designation from some other thing; — opposed to homonym.
heteropod noun One of the Heteropoda., Heteropodous.
heterosis noun A figure of speech by which one form of a noun, verb, or pronoun, and the like, is used for another, as in the sentence: “What is life to such as me?”
heuristic adjective Serving to discover or find out.
hexabasic adjective Having six hydrogen atoms or six radicals capable of being replaced or saturated by bases; — said of acids; as, mellitic acid is hexabasic.
hexachord noun A series of six notes, with a semitone between the third and fourth, the other intervals being whole tones.
hexagonal adjective Having six sides and six angles; six-sided.
hexagynia noun pl. A Linnaean order of plants having six pistils.
hexahedra plural of Hexahedron
hexameter noun A verse of six feet, the first four of which may be either dactyls or spondees, the fifth must regularly be a dactyl, and the sixth always a spondee. In this species of verse are composed the Iliad of Homer and the Aeneid of Virgil. In English hexameters accent takes the place of quantity., Having six metrical feet, especially dactyls and spondees.
hexandria noun pl. A Linnaean class of plants having six stamens.
hexastich noun Alt. of Hexastichon
hexastyle adjective Having six columns in front; — said of a portico or temple., A hexastyle portico or temple.
hexateuch noun The first six books of the Old Testament.
hexatomic adjective Having six atoms in the molecule., Having six replaceable radicals.
hibernate verb i. To winter; to pass the season of winter in close quarters, in a torpid or lethargic state, as certain mammals, reptiles, and insects.
hibernian adjective Of or pertaining to Hibernia, now Ireland; Irish., A native or an inhabitant of Ireland.
hiddenite noun An emerald-green variety of spodumene found in North Carolina; lithia emerald, — used as a gem.
hidebound adjective Having the skin adhering so closely to the ribs and back as not to be easily loosened or raised; — said of an animal., Having the bark so close and constricting that it impedes the growth; — said of trees., Untractable; bigoted; obstinately and blindly or stupidly conservative., Niggardly; penurious.
hierarchy noun Dominion or authority in sacred things., A body of officials disposed organically in ranks and orders each subordinate to the one above it; a body of ecclesiastical rulers., A form of government administered in the church by patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, and, in an inferior degree, by priests., A rank or order of holy beings.
hierogram noun A form of sacred or hieratic writing.
hierology noun A treatise on sacred things; especially, the science which treats of the ancient writings and inscriptions of the Egyptians, or a treatise on that science.
hierourgy noun A sacred or holy work or worship.
hifalutin noun See Highfaluting.
high-bred adjective Bred in high life; of pure blood.
highering adjective Rising higher; ascending.
highflier noun One who is extravagant in pretensions, opinions, or manners.
hightener noun That which heightens.
hig-taper noun A plant of the genus Verbascum (V. Thapsus); the common mullein. [Also high-taper and hag-taper.]
hilarious adjective Mirthful; noisy; merry.
hilliness noun The state of being hilly.
himalayan adjective Of or pertaining to the Himalayas, the great mountain chain in Hindostan.
himselven pronoun pl. Themselves. See Hemself.
hindberry noun The raspberry.
hindbrain noun The posterior of the three principal divisions of the brain, including the epencephalon and metencephalon. Sometimes restricted to the epencephalon only.
hindering present participle & vb. noun of Hinder
hinderest adjective Hindermost; — superl. of Hind, a.
hindooism noun Alt. of Hinduism
hindrance verb t. The act of hindering, or the state of being hindered., That which hinders; an impediment.
hingeless adjective Without a hinge or joint.
hintingly adverb In a hinting manner.
hipparion noun An extinct genus of Tertiary mammals allied to the horse, but three-toed, having on each foot a small lateral hoof on each side of the main central one. It is believed to be one of the ancestral genera of the Horse family.
hippocamp noun See Hippocampus.
hippocras noun A cordial made of spiced wine, etc.
hippodame noun A fabulous sea monster.
hippolith noun A concretion, or kind of bezoar, from the intestines of the horse.
hippotomy noun Anatomy of the horse.
hippurite noun A fossil bivalve mollusk of the genus Hippurites, of many species, having a conical, cup-shaped under valve, with a flattish upper valve or lid. Hippurites are found only in the Cretaceous rocks.
hircinous adjective Goatlike; of or pertaining to a goat or the goats., Of a strong goatish smell.
hirudinea noun pl. An order of Annelida, including the leeches; — called also Hirudinei.
hirundine adjective Like or pertaining to the swallows.
hissingly adverb With a hissing sound.
histogeny noun Same as Histogenesis.
histology noun That branch of biological science, which treats of the minute (microscopic) structure of animal and vegetable tissues; — called also histiology.
histonomy noun The science which treats of the laws relating to organic tissues, their formation, development, functions, etc.
historial adjective Historical.
historian noun A writer of history; a chronicler; an annalist., One versed or well informed in history.
historied adjective Related in history.
historier noun An historian.
histority verb t. To record in or as history.
historize verb t. To relate as history; to chronicle; to historicize.
histories plural of History
histotomy noun The dissection of organic tissues.
histozyme noun A soluble ferment occurring in the animal body, to the presence of which many normal decompositions and synthetical processes are supposed to be due.
hoarfrost noun The white particles formed by the congelation of dew; white frost.
hoarhound noun Same as Horehound.
hoariness noun The state of being hoary.
hoarsened imp. & past participle of Hoarsen
hoarstone noun A stone designating the /ounds of an estate; a landmark.
hobandnob verb i. Same as Hobnob.
hobgoblin noun A frightful goblin; an imp; a bugaboo; also, a name formerly given to the household spirit, Robin Goodfellow.
hobnailed adjective See with hobnails, as a shoe.
hornobbed imp. & past participle of Hobnob
hockamore noun A Rhenish wine. [Obs.] See Hock.
hodiernal adjective Of this day; belonging to the present day.
hodmandod noun See Dodman.
hodograph noun A curve described by the moving extremity of a line the other end of which is fixed, this line being constantly parallel to the direction of motion of, and having its length constantly proportional to the velocity of, a point moving in any path; -used in investigations respecting central forces.
hodometer noun See Odometer.
hoemother noun The basking or liver shark; — called also homer. See Liver shark, under Liver.
hogchoker noun An American sole (Achirus lineatus, or A. achirus), related to the European sole, but of no market value.
hogringer noun One who puts rings into the snouts of hogs.
hoidenish adjective Like, or appropriate to, a hoiden.
hoistaway noun A mechanical lift. See Elevator.
holethnic adjective Of or pertaining to a holethnos or parent race.
holethnos noun A parent stock or race of people, not yet divided into separate branches or tribes.
hollander noun A native or one of the people of Holland; a Dutchman., A very hard, semi-glazed, green or dark brown brick, which will not absorb water; — called also, Dutch clinker.
hollowing present participle & vb. noun of Hollow
hollyhock noun A species of Althaea (A. rosea), bearing flowers of various colors; — called also rose mallow.
holoblast noun an ovum composed entirely of germinal matter. See Meroblast.
holocaust noun A burnt sacrifice; an offering, the whole of which was consumed by fire, among the Jews and some pagan nations., Sacrifice or loss of many lives, as by the burning of a theater or a ship. [An extended use not authorized by careful writers.]
holograph noun A document, as a letter, deed, or will, wholly in the handwriting of the person from whom it proceeds and whose act it purports to be.
holometer noun An instrument for making of angular measurements.
holophote noun A lamp with lenses or reflectors to collect the rays of light and throw them in a given direction; — used in lighthouses.
holostean adjective Pertaining to the Holostei.
holostome noun One of the Holostomata.
holothure noun A holothurian.
holstered adjective Bearing holsters.
holystone noun A stone used by seamen for scrubbing the decks of ships., To scrub with a holystone, as the deck of a vessel.
homacanth adjective Having the dorsal fin spines symmetrical, and in the same line; — said of certain fishes.
home-bred adjective Bred at home; domestic; not foreign., Not polished; rude; uncultivated.
home-felt adjective Felt in one’s own breast; inward; private.
homefield noun A field adjacent to its owner’s home.
homeopath noun A practitioner of homeopathy.
homestall noun Place of a home; homestead.
homestead noun The home place; a home and the inclosure or ground immediately connected with it., The home or seat of a family; place of origin., The home and appurtenant land and buildings owned by the head of a family, and occupied by him and his family.
homewards adverb Toward home; in the direction of one’s house, town, or country.
homicidal adjective Pertaining to homicide; tending to homicide; murderous.
homiletic adjective Alt. of Homiletical
homocercy noun The possession of a homocercal tail.
homodemic adjective A morphological term signifying development, in the case of multicellular organisms, from the same unit deme or unit of the inferior orders of individuality.
homodermy noun Homology of the germinal layers.
homograph noun One of two or more words identical in orthography, but having different derivations and meanings; as, fair, n., a market, and fair, a., beautiful.
homologon noun See Homologue.
homologue noun That which is homologous to something else; as, the corresponding sides, etc., of similar polygons are the homologues of each other; the members or terms of an homologous series in chemistry are the homologues of each other; one of the bones in the hand of man is the homologue of that in the paddle of a whale.
homoorgan Same as Homoplast.
homophone noun A letter or character which expresses a like sound with another., A word having the same sound as another, but differing from it in meaning and usually in spelling; as, all and awl; bare and bear; rite, write, right, and wright.
homophony noun Sameness of sound., Sameness of sound; unison., Plain harmony, as opposed to polyphony. See Homophonous.
homophyly noun That form of homology due to common ancestry (phylogenetic homology), in opposition to homomorphy, to which genealogic basis is wanting.
homoplast noun One of the plastids composing the idorgan of Haeckel; — also called homoorgan.
homoplasy noun See Homogeny.
homopolic adjective In promorphology, pertaining to or exhibiting that kind of organic form, in which the stereometric ground form is a pyramid, with similar poles. See Promorphology.
homoptera noun pl. A suborder of Hemiptera, in which both pairs of wings are similar in texture, and do not overlap when folded, as in the cicada. See Hemiptera.
homotaxia noun Same as Homotaxis.
homotaxic adjective Relating to homotaxis.
homotaxis noun Similarly in arrangement of parts; — the opposite of heterotaxy.
homotypal adjective Of the same type of structure; pertaining to a homotype; as, homotypal parts.
homotypic adjective Alt. of Homotypical
homunculi plural of Homunculus
honey-bag noun The receptacle for honey in a honeybee.
honeybird noun The honey guide.
honeycomb noun A mass of hexagonal waxen cells, formed by bees, and used by them to hold their honey and their eggs., Any substance, as a easting of iron, a piece of worm-eaten wood, or of triple, etc., perforated with cells like a honeycomb.
honeyless adjective Destitute of honey.
honeymoon noun The first month after marriage.
honeyware noun See Badderlocks.
honeywort noun A European plant of the genus Cerinthe, whose flowers are very attractive to bees.
honorable adjective Worthy of honor; fit to be esteemed or regarded; estimable; illustrious., High-minded; actuated by principles of honor, or a scrupulous regard to probity, rectitude, or reputation., Proceeding from an upright and laudable cause, or directed to a just and proper end; not base; irreproachable; fair; as, an honorable motive., Conferring honor, or produced by noble deeds., Worthy of respect; regarded with esteem; to be commended; consistent with honor or rectitude., Performed or accompanied with marks of honor, or with testimonies of esteem; an honorable burial., Of reputable association or use; respectable., An epithet of respect or distinction; as, the honorable Senate; the honorable gentleman.
honorably adverb In an honorable manner; in a manner showing, or consistent with, honor., Decently; becomingly.
honorific adjective Conferring honor; tending to honor.
honorless adjective Destitute of honor; not honored.
hoofbound adjective Having a dry and contracted hoof, which occasions pain and lameness.
hop-thumb noun A very diminutive person., See Hop-o’-my-thumb.
hopscotch noun A child’s game, in which a player, hopping on one foot, drives a stone from one compartment to another of a figure traced or scotched on the ground; — called also hoppers.
hordeolum noun A small tumor upon the eyelid, resembling a grain of barley; a sty.
horehound noun A plant of the genus Marrubium (M. vulgare), which has a bitter taste, and is a weak tonic, used as a household remedy for colds, coughing, etc.
hornotine noun A yearling; a bird of the year.
hornsnake noun A harmless snake (Farancia abacura), found in the Southern United States. The color is bluish black above, red below.
hornstone noun A siliceous stone, a variety of quartz, closely resembling flint, but more brittle; — called also chert.
hornwrack noun A bryozoan of the genus Flustra.
hornyhead noun Any North American river chub of the genus Hybopsis, esp. H. biguttatus.
horologer noun A maker or vender of clocks and watches; one skilled in horology.
horometer noun An instrument for measuring time.
horometry noun The art, practice, or method of measuring time by hours and subordinate divisions.
horoscope noun The representation made of the aspect of the heavens at the moment of a person’s birth, by which the astrologer professed to foretell the events of the person’s life; especially, the sign of the zodiac rising above the horizon at such a moment., The diagram or scheme of twelve houses or signs of the zodiac, into which the whole circuit of the heavens was divided for the purposes of such prediction of fortune., The planisphere invented by Jean Paduanus., A table showing the length of the days and nights at all places.
horoscopy noun The art or practice of casting horoscopes, or observing the disposition of the stars, with a view to prediction events., Aspect of the stars at the time of a person’s birth.
horrified imp. & past participle of Horrify
horseback noun The back of a horse., An extended ridge of sand, gravel, and bowlders, in a half-stratified condition.
horsefish noun The moonfish (Selene setipinnis)., The sauger.
horsefeet plural of Horsefoot
horsefoot noun The coltsfoot., The Limulus or horseshoe crab.
horsehair noun A hair of a horse, especially one from the mane or tail; the hairs of the mane or tail taken collectively; a fabric or tuft made of such hairs.
horsehead noun The silver moonfish (Selene vomer).
horsehide noun The hide of a horse., Leather made of the hide of a horse.
horseknop noun Knapweed.
horsemint noun A coarse American plant of the Mint family (Monarda punctata)., In England, the wild mint (Mentha sylvestris).
horsenail noun A thin, pointed nail, with a heavy flaring head, for securing a horsehoe to the hoof; a horsehoe nail.
horseplay noun Rude, boisterous play.
horsepond noun A pond for watering horses.
horserake noun A rake drawn by a horse.
horseshoe noun A shoe for horses, consisting of a narrow plate of iron in form somewhat like the letter U, nailed to a horse’s hoof., Anything shaped like a horsehoe crab., The Limulus of horsehoe crab.
horsetail noun A leafless plant, with hollow and rushlike stems. It is of the genus Equisetum, and is allied to the ferns. See Illust. of Equisetum., A Turkish standard, denoting rank.
horseweed noun A composite plant (Erigeron Canadensis), which is a common weed.
horsewhip noun A whip for horses., To flog or chastise with a horsewhip.
horsewood noun A West Indian tree (Calliandra latifolia) with showy, crimson blossoms.
horseworm noun The larva of a botfly.
horsiness noun The condition or quality of being a horse; that which pertains to a horse., Fondness for, or interest in, horses.
hortation noun The act of exhorting, inciting, or giving advice; exhortation.
hortative adjective Giving exhortation; advisory; exhortative., An exhortation.
hortatory adjective Giving exhortation or advise; encouraging; exhortatory; inciting; as, a hortatory speech.
hospitage noun Hospitality.
hospitate verb i. To receive hospitality; to be a guest., To receive with hospitality; to lodge as a guest.
hospitium noun An inn; a lodging; a hospice., An inn of court.
hostilely adverb In a hostile manner.
hostility noun State of being hostile; public or private enemy; unfriendliness; animosity., An act of an open enemy; a hostile deed; especially in the plural, acts of warfare; attacks of an enemy.
hostilize verb t. To make hostile; to cause to become an enemy.
hot blast See under Blast.
hot-short adjective More or less brittle when heated; as, hot-short iron.
hottentot noun One of a degraded and savage race of South Africa, with yellowish brown complexion, high cheek bones, and wooly hair growing in tufts., The language of the Hottentots, which is remarkable for its clicking sounds.
houndfish noun Any small shark of the genus Galeus or Mustelus, of which there are several species, as the smooth houndfish (G. canis), of Europe and America; — called also houndshark, and dogfish.
hourglass noun An instrument for measuring time, especially the interval of an hour. It consists of a glass vessel having two compartments, from the uppermost of which a quantity of sand, water, or mercury occupies an hour in running through a small aperture unto the lower.
housebote noun Wood allowed to a tenant for repairing the house and for fuel. This latter is often called firebote. See Bote.
housecarl noun A household servant; also, one of the bodyguard of King Canute.
household noun Those who dwell under the same roof and compose a family., A line of ancestory; a race or house., Belonging to the house and family; domestic; as, household furniture; household affairs.
houseleek noun A succulent plant of the genus Sempervivum (S. tectorum), originally a native of subalpine Europe, but now found very generally on old walls and roofs. It is very tenacious of life under drought and heat; — called also ayegreen.
houseless adjective Destitute of the shelter of a house; shelterless; homeless; as, a houseless wanderer.
houseline noun A small line of three strands used for seizing; — called also housing.
houseling adjective Same as Housling.
housemaid noun A female servant employed to do housework, esp. to take care of the rooms.
housemate noun One who dwells in the same house with another.
houseroom noun Room or place in a house; as, to give any one houseroom.
housewife noun The wife of a householder; the mistress of a family; the female head of a household., A little case or bag for materials used in sewing, and for other articles of female work; — called also hussy., A hussy., Alt. of Housewive
housewive verb t. To manage with skill and economy, as a housewife or other female manager; to economize.
housework noun The work belonging to housekeeping; especially, kitchen work, sweeping, scrubbing, bed making, and the like.
houyhnhnm noun One of the race of horses described by Swift in his imaginary travels of Lemuel Gulliver. The Houyhnhnms were endowed with reason and noble qualities; subject to them were Yahoos, a race of brutes having the form and all the worst vices of men.
hovelling of Hovel
howsoever adj. & conj. In what manner soever; to whatever degree or extent; however., Although; though; however.
huckaback noun A kind of linen cloth with raised figures, used for towelings.
hudsonian adjective Of or pertaining to Hudson’s Bay or to the Hudson River; as, the Hudsonian curlew.
huffiness noun The state of being huffish; petulance; bad temper.
huffingly adverb Blusteringly; arrogantly.
huia bird A New Zealand starling (Heteralocha acutirostris), remarkable for the great difference in the form and length of the bill in the two sexes, that of the male being sharp and straight, that of the female much longer and strongly curved.
humanized imp. & past participle of Humanize
humanizer noun One who renders humane.
humankind noun Mankind.
humanness noun The quality or state of being human.
humblebee noun The bumblebee.
humblesse noun Humbleness; abasement; low obeisance.
humbugged imp. & past participle of Humbug
humbugger noun One who humbugs.
humectate verb t. To moisten; to wet.
humectant adjective Diluent., A diluent drink or medicine.
humective adjective Tending to moisten.
humidness noun Humidity.
humiliant adjective Humiliating; humbling.
humiliate verb t. To reduce to a lower position in one’s own eyes, or in the eyes of others; to humble; to mortify.
humorless adjective Destitute of humor.
humorsome adjective Moody; whimsical; capricious., Jocose; witty; humorous.
hunchback noun A back with a hunch or hump; also, a hunchbacked person.
hundreder noun An inhabitant or freeholder of a hundred., A person competent to serve on a jury, in an action for land in the hundred to which he belongs., One who has the jurisdiction of a hundred; and sometimes, a bailiff of a hundred.
hundredth adjective Coming last of a hundred successive individuals or units., Forming one of a hundred equal parts into which anything is divided; the tenth of a tenth., One of a hundred equal parts into which one whole is, or may be, divided; the quotient of a unit divided by a hundred.
hungarian adjective Of or pertaining to Hungary or to the people of Hungary., A native or one of the people of Hungary.
hungering present participle & vb. noun of Hunger
hunkerism noun Excessive conservatism; hostility to progress.
hunterian adjective Discovered or described by John Hunter, an English surgeon; as, the Hunterian chancre. See Chancre.
hunt’s-up noun A tune played on the horn very early in the morning to call out the hunters; hence, any arousing sound or call.
hurdleing present participle & vb. noun of Hurdle
hurricane noun A violent storm, characterized by extreme fury and sudden changes of the wind, and generally accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning; — especially prevalent in the East and West Indies. Also used figuratively.
hurricano noun A waterspout; a hurricane.
husbanded imp. & past participle of Husband
husbandly adjective Frugal; thrifty.
husbandry noun Care of domestic affairs; economy; domestic management; thrift., The business of a husbandman, comprehending the various branches of agriculture; farming.
huskiness noun The state of being husky., Roughness of sound; harshness; hoarseness; as, huskiness of voice.
huswifely adjective Like a huswife; capable; economical; prudent., In a huswifely manner.
huswifery noun The business of a housewife; female domestic economy and skill.
huttonian adjective Relating to what is now called the Plutonic theory of the earth, first advanced by Dr. James Hutton.
hyalonema noun A genus of hexactinelline sponges, having a long stem composed of very long, slender, transparent, siliceous fibres twisted together like the strands of a color. The stem of the Japanese species (H. Sieboldii), called glass-rope, has long been in use as an ornament. See Glass-rope.
hyalotype noun A photographic picture copied from the negative on glass; a photographic transparency.
hybernate Alt. of Hybernation
hybridism noun The state or quality of being hybrid.
hybridist noun One who hybridizes.
hybridity noun Hybridism.
hybridize verb t. To render hybrid; to produce by mixture of stocks.
hybridous adjective Same as Hybrid.
hydantoic adjective Pertaining to, or derived from, hydantoin. See Glycoluric.
hydantoin noun A derivative of urea, C3H4N2O2, obtained from allantion, as a white, crystalline substance, with a sweetish taste; — called also glycolyl urea.
hydraemia noun An abnormally watery state of the blood; anaemia.
hydramide noun One of a group of crystalline bodies produced by the action of ammonia on certain aldehydes.
hydramine noun One of a series of artificial, organic bases, usually produced as thick viscous liquids by the action of ammonia on ethylene oxide. They have the properties both of alcohol and amines.
hydrangea noun A genus of shrubby plants bearing opposite leaves and large heads of showy flowers, white, or of various colors. H. hortensis, the common garden species, is a native of China or Japan.
hydrating present participle & vb. noun of Hydrate
hydration noun The act of becoming, or state of being, a hydrate.
hydraulic adjective Of or pertaining to hydraulics, or to fluids in motion; conveying, or acting by, water; as, an hydraulic clock, crane, or dock.
hydrazine noun Any one of a series of nitrogenous bases, resembling the amines and produced by the reduction of certain nitroso and diazo compounds; as, methyl hydrazine, phenyl hydrazine, etc. They are derivatives of hydrazine proper, H2N.NH2, which is a doubled amido group, recently (1887) isolated as a stable, colorless gas, with a peculiar, irritating odor. As a base it forms distinct salts. Called also diamide, amidogen, (or more properly diamidogen), etc.
hydriform adjective Having the form or structure of a hydra.
hydriodic adjective Pertaining to, or derived from, hydrogen and iodine; — said of an acid produced by the combination of these elements.
hydrocele noun A collection of serous fluid in the areolar texture of the scrotum or in the coverings, especially in the serous sac, investing the testicle or the spermatic cord; dropsy of the testicle.
hydrogode noun The negative pole or cathode.
hydroidea noun pl. An extensive order of Hydrozoa or Acalephae.
hydrology noun The science of water, its properties, phenomena, and distribution over the earth’s surface.
hydromica noun A variety of potash mica containing water. It is less elastic than ordinary muscovite.
hydropath noun A hydropathist.
hydrophid noun Any sea snake of the genus Hydrophys and allied genera. These snakes are venomous, live upon fishes, and have a flattened tail for swimming.
hydropult noun A machine for throwing water by hand power, as a garden engine, a fire extinguisher, etc.
hydrosalt noun A salt supposed to be formed by a hydracid and a base., An acid salt., A hydrous salt; a salt combined with water of hydration or crystallization.
hydrosome noun Alt. of Hydrosoma
hydrosoma noun All the zooids of a hydroid colony collectively, including the nutritive and reproductive zooids, and often other kinds.
hydrostat noun A contrivance or apparatus to prevent the explosion of steam boilers.
hydroxide noun A hydrate; a substance containing hydrogen and oxygen, made by combining water with an oxide, and yielding water by elimination. The hydroxides are regarded as compounds of hydroxyl, united usually with basic element or radical; as, calcium hydroxide ethyl hydroxide.
hydrozoal adjective Of or pertaining to the Hydrozoa.
hydrozoon noun One of the Hydrozoa.
hyemation noun The passing of a winter in a particular place; a wintering., The act of affording shelter in winter.
hygienics noun The science of health; hygiene.
hygienism noun Hygiene.
hygienist noun One versed in hygiene.
hygiology noun A treatise on, or the science of, the preservation of health.
hygrodeik noun A form of hygrometer having wet and dry bulb thermometers, with an adjustable index showing directly the percentage of moisture in the air, etc.
hygrology noun The science which treats of the fluids of the body.
hyleosaur noun Same as Hylaeosaur.
hylozoism noun The doctrine that matter possesses a species of life and sensation, or that matter and life are inseparable.
hylozoist noun A believer in hylozoism.
hymeniums plural of Hymenium
hymnology noun The hymns or sacred lyrics composed by authors of a particular country or period; as, the hymnology of the eighteenth century; also, the collective body of hymns used by any particular church or religious body; as, the Anglican hymnology., A knowledge of hymns; a treatise on hymns.
hyndreste adjective See Hinderest.
hyomental adjective Between the hyoid bone and the lower jaw, pertaining to them; suprahyoid; submaxillary; as, the hyomental region of the front of the neck.
hyostylic adjective Having the mandible suspended by the hyomandibular, or upper part of the hyoid arch, as in fishes, instead of directly articulated with the skull as in mammals; — said of the skull.
hypethral adjective Exposed to the air; wanting a roof; — applied to a building or part of a building.
hypallage noun A figure consisting of a transference of attributes from their proper subjects to other. Thus Virgil says, “dare classibus austros,” to give the winds to the fleets, instead of dare classibus austris, to give the fleets to the winds.
hypanthia plural of Hypanthium
hypaspist noun A shield-bearer or armor-bearer.
hyperbola noun A curve formed by a section of a cone, when the cutting plane makes a greater angle with the base than the side of the cone makes. It is a plane curve such that the difference of the distances from any point of it to two fixed points, called foci, is equal to a given distance. See Focus. If the cutting plane be produced so as to cut the opposite cone, another curve will be formed, which is also an hyperbola. Both curves are regarded as branches of the same hyperbola. See Illust. of Conic section, and Focus.
hyperbole noun A figure of speech in which the expression is an evident exaggeration of the meaning intended to be conveyed, or by which things are represented as much greater or less, better or worse, than they really are; a statement exaggerated fancifully, through excitement, or for effect.
hyperduly noun Hyperdulia.
hypericum noun A genus of plants, generally with dotted leaves and yellow flowers; — called also St. John’s-wort.
hyperopia noun Hypermetropia.
hypernoea noun Abnormal breathing, due to slightly deficient arterialization of the blood; — in distinction from eupnoea. See Eupnoea, and Dispnoea.
hyphening present participle & vb. noun of Hyphen
hypinosis noun A diminution in the normal amount of fibrin present in the blood.
hypnobate noun A somnambulist.
hypnocyst noun A cyst in which some unicellular organisms temporarily inclose themselves, from which they emerge unchanged, after a period of drought or deficiency of food. In some instances, a process of spore formation seems to occur within such cysts.
hypnology noun A treatise on sleep; the doctrine of sleep.
hypnotism noun A form of sleep or somnambulism brought on by artificial means, in which there is an unusual suspension of some powers, and an unusual activity of others. It is induced by an action upon the nerves, through the medium of the senses, as in persons of very feeble organization, by gazing steadly at a very bright object held before the eyes, or by pressure upon certain points of the surface of the body.
hypnotize verb t. To induce hypnotism in; to place in a state of hypnotism.
hypoarian adjective Of or pertaining to a hypoarion.
hypoarion noun An oval lobe beneath each of the optic lobes in many fishes; one of the inferior lobes.
hypoblast noun The inner or lower layer of the blastoderm; — called also endoderm, entoderm, and sometimes hypoderm. See Illust. of Blastoderm, Delamination, and Ectoderm.
hypocaust noun A furnace, esp. one connected with a series of small chambers and flues of tiles or other masonry through which the heat of a fire was distributed to rooms above. This contrivance, first used in bath, was afterwards adopted in private houses.
hypocrisy noun The act or practice of a hypocrite; a feigning to be what one is not, or to feel what one does not feel; a dissimulation, or a concealment of one’s real character, disposition, or motives; especially, the assuming of false appearance of virtue or religion; a simulation of goodness.
hypocrite noun One who plays a part; especially, one who, for the purpose of winning approbation of favor, puts on a fair outside seeming; one who feigns to be other and better than he is; a false pretender to virtue or piety; one who simulates virtue or piety.
hypoderma noun A layer of tissue beneath the epidermis in plants, and performing the physiological function of strengthening the epidermal tissue. In phanerogamous plants it is developed as collenchyma., An inner cellular layer which lies beneath the chitinous cuticle of arthropods, annelids, and some other invertebrates.
hypogaeic adjective Pertaining to, or obtained from, the peanut, or earthnut (Arachis hypogaea).
hypogeous adjective Growing under ground; remaining under ground; ripening its fruit under ground.
hyponasty noun Downward convexity, or convexity of the inferior surface.
hypoptila plural of Hypoptilum
hyporadii plural of Hyporadius
hypostome noun Alt. of Hypostoma
hypostoma noun The lower lip of trilobites, crustaceans, etc.
hypostyle adjective Resting upon columns; constructed by means of columns; — especially applied to the great hall at Karnak.
hypotarsi plural of Hypotarsus
hypotheca noun An obligation by which property of a debtor was made over to his creditor in security of his debt.
hypsiloid adjective Resembling the Greek letter / in form; hyoid.
hyrcanian adjective Alt. of Hyrcan
hysterics noun pl. Hysteria.