Word origins

• HigonnetA surname from French
• HindiphoneHindi-speaking.
• hindouistHindu.
• hippomobileAn early automobile invented by Étienne Lenoir in 1863.
• HirsonA commune in Aisne department, Hauts-de-France, France.
• histicRelating to the tissues of the body.
• historietteSynonym of storiette /storyette (“short story or tale”).
• hivernantA voyageur who wintered in First Nations camps.
• hoboyA hautboy or oboe.
• Hochelaga-MaisonneuveA neighbourhood of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, city of Montreal, island of Montreal, region of Montreal, province of Quebec, Canada; a former district of Montreal.
• hocketIn medieval music, a rhythmic linear technique using the alternation of notes, pitches, or chords. A single melody is shared between two (or occasionally more) voices such that alternately one voice sounds while the other rests.
• hockeyerA hockey player.
• hogoA strong, unpleasant smell.
• hoguineAn item of armor worn in the 16th century, consisting of overlapping lames to protect the buttocks.
• hollandaise sauceAn emulsion of butter and lemon juice using egg yolks as the emulsifying agent, used in French cooking.
• homme de lettresman of letters, a literary man
• homme fatalAn ultimately seductive and dangerous man; a womanizer.
• homogenehomogeneous
• homophonyA musical texture in which two or more parts move together in harmony, the relationship between them creating chords; the quality of being homophonic.
• hors categorieThe toughest category of climbs, tougher than category 1. One of six categories of climbs, HC, 1, 2, 3, 4, and not classified; not classified being the easiest.
• hors de combatOut of action; disabled; no longer able to fight.
• hors d'oeuvreA small, light, and usually savory first course in a meal.
• hors-texteOccupying a full page by itself, rather than among the prose (such as a full-page image).
• hotchpotchThe blending together of property so as to achieve equal division, especially in the case of divorce or intestacy.
• hot cocklesa children's game in which a blindfolded person had to guess who was hitting them.
• hôtel-DieuThe chief hospital in a French city.
• hôtelièreA woman who owns or runs a hotel.
• HototA breed of rabbit, characterized by having short ears and being all white except for black rings around the eyes.
• houbara bustardChlamydotis undulata, a bustard, chiefly of North Africa and south-east Asia.
• HoupA surname from French.
• houriA beautiful virgin girl supposed to dwell in Paradise for the enjoyment of the faithful.
• house of toleranceA licensed brothel.
• house societyA society where kinship and political relations are organized around membership in corporately-organized dwellings rather than around descent groups or lineages.
• HublinA surname from French.
• HugolatryThe fervent admiration of the works and literary theories of French writer Victor Hugo (1802–1885).
• HugophileAn admirer of French writer Victor Hugo (1802–1885).
• HuguenotismThe religion or doctrine of the Huguenots
• huissierA doorman; a domestic officer who guarded the doors to chambers in a mansion or similar large establishment.
• huissier de justiceAn officer of the court in several European countries who serves processes and notices, seizes and auctions off property, and executes garnishments, levies, and evictions, roughly similar to British bailiffs or private constables in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
• huitainA French poem, a kind of octastich.
• Hungary waterOne of various early modern perfumes and elixirs made of rosemary, camomile or later lavender infused in various alcohols.
• HurbacheA commune of the Canton of Raon-l’Étape, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, Vosges department, Grand Est, France.
• HyblaeanOf, from or relating to the Hyblaean Mountains in southeastern Sicily, Italy.
• hydromancyDivination by water or other liquid.
• hydrophobeA hydrophobic compound or material.
• hyenA hyena.
• hygroscopyThe ability of a substance to attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding environment.
• hypnagogicThat induces sleep; soporific, somniferous.
• hypochondreThe hypochondrium.
• -icianforming nouns denoting occupations
• idéeIdea, occurring only in certain set phrases which are borrowings from French
• idée fixeAn idea dominating the mind and maintained despite evidence to the contrary; (loosely), an obsession.
• idée mèreA fundamental idea or guiding principle, seen as giving rise to something.
• idée reçueA received, or accepted, idea.
• identicIdentical.
• -ienneindicates a female variant of a noun ending in -ian
• -ietyForming nouns denoting the quality or condition of being what is indicated by the first element of the word.
• IfraneA city in Fez-Meknez, Morocco.
• if you pleasePlease.
• IgnorantineDesignating an order of friars founded in 1495 who ministered to the poor, especially in France.
• Ile aux CanardsAn island of Nouméa, New Caledonia, France.
• Île de la CitéAn island of Paris, France, site of the Notre-Dame cathedral and previously many important government buildings.
• -illiardCombined with Latin prefixes for names of integers in order to form names of large numbers as 10⁶ⁿ⁺³.
• IllineseSynonym of Illinois (“member of the Illinois (Algonquian people)”)
• imaginary museumA person's essential or favorite works of art, regarded as a collection that could be brought together as a single ideal museum for that person.
• imberbBeardless.
• imbricationA set of tiles or shingles that overlap like the scales of a fish.
• -imeSuffix denoting ordinal number.
• imitableCapable of being imitated or copied.
• imp.Printed.
• impastationThe act of making into paste.
• implorationThe action of imploring; begging, beseeching.
• imprimerySynonym of printer, printing house, &c., a self-employed printer or printing establishment.
• improvisatorSomeone who improvises; improviser.
• impudicImmodest.
• ImsouaneA town and rural commune of Souss-Massa, Morocco.
• inaccrochableUnable to be hung (or sold), especially because of sexual content.
• inaffabilityLack of affability or sociability; unfriendliness.
• inaptitudeThe quality of being inapt.
• inceptiveBeginning; of or relating to inception.
• incommodeTo make (someone) uncomfortable; to discomfort, to disturb, to trouble.
• in commonShared with one or more others.
• incubation periodThe time elapsed between an exposure to a pathogenic organism, a chemical or radiation, and the appearance of signs and symptoms.
• indeclinableThat one cannot decline; unavoidable.
• indeterministOne who believes the doctrine of indeterminism.
• indissolubilityThe quality or state of being indissoluble.
• indocileUnwilling to be taught or instructed; intractable or recalcitrant.
• -ineOf or pertaining to.
• inenarrableThat cannot be told; indescribable, inexpressible, unspeakable.
• inexactitudeA lack of exactness; something inexact or imprecise
• in factResulting from the actions of parties.
• infantineInfantile; childish.
• informatisationThe process of becoming based on information and information technology.
• ingenuAn innocent, unsophisticated, naive, wholesome boy or young man.
• inobservationLack of observation.
• in peaceWith someone's favour or blessing.
• in pointAppropriate, relevant, pertinent.
• insectologyThe scientific study of insects.
• intangibilityThe quality or state of being intangible; intangibleness.
• intendancyThe office or employment of an intendant.