Word origins

• halieuticsA treatise upon fish or the art of fishing, especially in Ancient Rome.
• halituousProduced by, or like, breath; vaporous.
• hamadryadA wood-nymph who was physically a part of her tree; she would die if her tree were felled.
• hamate boneOne of the eight bones of the wrist (carpals).
• hamiformCurved at the extremity.
• hammochrysosA certain stone with spangles of gold color in it, known to Pliny, perhaps golden mica or yellow mica schist.
• hamuleA little hook.
• hamuloseBearing a small hook at the end
• hamulusA hook, or hook-like process.
• Harry-sophA student of law or medicine at Cambridge who, being of the same standing as the students in arts in his year, is allowed to wear a full-sleeved gown when they assume their BA gowns, though he does not obtain his actual degree so soon.
• haruspiceAn Etruscan seer in Ancient Rome.
• hassiumAn artificially-produced transuranic chemical element (symbol Hs) with atomic number 108.
• hastiludeA medieval martial game.
• hebe-relating to youth
• hebetantCausing lethargy.
• hebetationThe act of making blunt, dull, or stupid.
• hebetudinousDisplaying mental lethargy or dullness.
• hederaceousOf, pertaining to, or resembling ivy.
• hederiformivy-shaped
• Helenusthe son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy, the twin brother of the prophetess Cassandra.
• helianthinmethyl orange
• heliciculturesnail farming
• helico-helix, spiral
• heliconianOf or pertaining to Helicon.
• helvineHelvite.
• helviteA yellowish mineral consisting chiefly of silica, beryllium, manganese, iron, and sulfur. Its chemical formula is Mn₄Be₃(SiO₄)₃S.
• helvolic acidAn antibiotic chemical compound found in Aspergillus.
• hemisectTo divide along the mesial plane or median plane.
• hemitoneA semitone.
• HenricaA female given name of rare usage, masculine equivalent Henry.
• hepatiteA variety of barite that emits a foetid odour when rubbed or heated.
• hepatizonA valuable metal alloy in antiquity, thought to have been an alloy of copper with gold and silver, mixed and treated to produce a material with a dark purplish patina.
• HephthaliteAny of a people who comprised a nomadic confederation in Central Asia during the 5th–6th centuries CE.
• heptarchyA government of seven people.
• herbescentGrowing into herbs.
• herbidCovered with herbs.
• herboseHaving an abundance of herbage; full of herbs.
• HercynianOf or relating to the Hercynian Forest, an extensive forest in ancient Germany.
• here be dragonsA fanciful notation, commonly attributed to historical maps, held to indicate either the belief that unknown dangers exist in a certain location on the map, or that actual dragons can be found there.
• hermitaryA cell annexed to an abbey, for the use of a hermit.
• heroonA temple dedicated to a hero, often over his supposed tomb.
• HesiodeanSynonym of Hesiodic (“relating to the ancient Greek poet Hesiod”).
• HesiodianSynonym of Hesiodic (“relating to the ancient Greek poet Hesiod”).
• hesternalOf or pertaining to yesterday.
• HesychiusA Greek grammarian from the 5th century AD, known for compiling the richest lexicon of unusual and obscure Ancient Greek words.
• heterophyllineA pyrrolizidine alkaloid found in Parsonsia heterophylla.
• hexa-Six.
• hexastichA poem consisting of six verses or lines.
• hibernalOf or pertaining to winter; brumal or hiemal
• hiccius doctiusA juggler.
• hic et nuncHere and now, in the immediate present.
• hierographicOf or relating to sacred writing.
• Hilary termThe second term of the legal year, running from January to March or April, during which the upper courts of England and Wales, and Ireland, sit to hear cases.
• HildericA male given name of mainly historical use, borne by a king of the Vandals.
• hinnyThe hybrid offspring of a stallion (male horse) and a she-ass (female donkey).
• hippocrepiformShaped like a horseshoe.
• hippopotomonstrosesquipedalianOf or pertaining to extremely long words.
• hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobiaThe fear of long words.
• hippotaurA creature that is half bull and half horse.
• hirc-Buck, male goat.
• hircoseOf, or pertaining to goats; hircine
• hirtellouswith minute hairs.
• hirudineOf or relating to the leeches.
• hirundineOf or relating to a swallow (the bird); of or relating to the family Hirundinidae.
• hispano-Relating to Spain and Spanish culture.
• hispidCovered in short, stiff hairs.
• historiolaA spell which invokes a mythical narrative, asking for the events it describes or similar ones to be enacted (as found in some Greek, Egyptian and other inscriptions).
• histrionA stage actor.
• hodiernalOf or pertaining to the present day or today; hodiern.
• holcadA large merchantman ship in Ancient Greece.
• holothureSynonym of sea cucumber.
• homiformIn human form.
• hominizationThe process of becoming like a human.
• HomoeanPertaining to the belief established in the fourth century as a middle ground between the homoousian and homoiousian positions, contending merely that the Father is ‘like’ the Son.
• homologateTo confirm, ratify or approve, especially officially or legally.
• Homo superiorA species of man more advanced than Homo sapiens; a superhuman.
• homotonousOf the same tenor or tone
• honoris causahonorary degree
• horalOf or relating to an hour, or to hours.
• hordatineAny of a class of benzofuran glucopyranosides found in ungerminated barley
• hordeaceousOf or pertaining to barley.
• hordeic acidAn acid derived from barley (Hordeum spp.), possibly identical with lauric acid.
• hordeiformResembling the shape of barley grains.
• hordeinA glycoprotein found in barley and some other cereals.
• hornotineA yearling; a bird born in the current year.
• horologicSynonym of chronometric, of or related to horologia or horology.
• horrentStanding upright, like bristles; bristled; bristly.
• horrisonousSounding dreadfully; uttering a terrible sound.
• horror autotoxicusThe now-discredited principle that the body will not harm itself by its own immune reactions.
• hortationThe act of exhorting, inciting, or giving advice; exhortation.
• hortativeUrging, exhorting, or encouraging.
• hortensialFit for a garden.
• horti-Related to growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants.
• hortulanBelonging to a garden.
• hortus siccusA collection of specimens of plants, dried and preserved and arranged systematically; a herbarium.
• hospitagehospitality (lodging or putting someone up)
• hospiticideOne who kills his guest or host.
• hosticideThe act of killing an enemy.
• Houghton RegisA town and civil parish with a town council in Central Bedfordshire district, Bedfordshire, England (OS grid ref TL0224).
• humicubationThe act or practice of lying on the ground.