hede

H4E1D2E1

noun

Rank; order; condition; quality.

OriginMiddle English hede ← Old English *hǣdu ← Proto-Germanic *haiduz →
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Meanings

hede1

nounhede (plural hedes)

plural hedes

  1. obsoleteRank; order; condition; quality.

Hede2

proper noun
  1. A settlement in Härjedalen municipality, Jämtland county, Sweden.

Origin

  1. Proto-Germanic*haiduz“appearance, kind”
  2. Old Englishhād“person, individual, character, individuality; degree, rank, order, office; condition, state, nature, form, manner; sex; race, family, tribe; choir”
  3. Old English*hǣdu
  4. Middle Englishhede
  5. Englishhede

From Middle English hede, from Old English *hǣdu, feminine form of Old English hād (“person, individual, character, individuality; degree, rank, order, office; condition, state, nature, form, manner; sex; race, family, tribe; choir”), from Proto-Germanic *haiduz (“appearance, kind”). Cognate with Middle High German heit (“person, order, rank”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍃 (haidus, “manner, way”). More at hade.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

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Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

heed
Cite this entry
APA

hede. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hede

MLA

“hede.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hede. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hede,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hede.

Source: hede on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.