Online Etymology Dictionary

Hottentot: 1677, from S.African Du., said to mean "stammerer," it is from hot en tot "hot and tot," nonsense words imitative of the clicking, jerking Khoisan speech.
houdini: "escape artist or other ingenious person," 1923, from Harry Houdini, professional name of U.S. escapist Erich Weiss (1874-1926).
hound: O.E. hund "dog," from P.Gmc. *khundas (cf. Ger. Hund, O.N. hundr, Goth. hunds), from PIE *kuntos, dental enlargement of base *kwon- "dog" (see canine). Meaning narrowed 12c. to "dog used for hunting." The verb sense of "urge on, incite" is first attested 1528, that of "pursue relentlessly" is first recorded 1605.
hour: mid-13c., from O.Fr. hore "one-twelfth of a day" (sunrise to sunset), from L. hora "hour, time, season," from Gk. hora "any limited time," from PIE *yor-a-, from base *yer- "year, season" (see year). Greek hora was "a season; 'the season;'" in classical times, sometimes, "a part of the day," such as morning, evening, noon, night. The Greek astronomers borrowed the notion of dividing the day into sections from the Babylonians. The Gk. division of the daytime into 12 equal hours was generally introduced by Hipparchus c.150 B.C.E. (night continued to be divided into four watches), but as the amount of daylight changed throughout the year, the hours were not fixed or of equal length. Equinoctal hours did not become established in Europe until the 4c., and as late as 16c. distinction sometimes was made between temporary (unequal) hours and sidereal (equal) ones. The h- has persisted in this word despite not being pronounced since Roman times. Replaced O.E. tid, lit. "time," and stund "period of time."
hourglass: 1510s, from hour + glass. Used 19c. in a variety of technical and scientific senses to describe the shape; reference to women's bodies is attested by 1897.
"Men condemn corsets in the abstract, and are sometimes brave enough to insist that the women of their households shall be emancipated from them; and yet their eyes have been so generally educated to the approval of the small waist, and the hourglass figure, that they often hinder women who seek a hygienic style of dress." [Mary Ashton Rice Livermore, "The Story of My Life," 1898]
houri: "nymph of Muslim paradise," 1737, from Fr. houri (1654), from Pers. huri "nymph in Paradise," from Ar. haura "to be beautifully dark-eyed," like a gazelle.
house: O.E. hus "dwelling, shelter, house," from P.Gmc. *khusan (cf. O.N., O.Fris. hus, Du. huis, Ger. Haus), of unknown origin, perhaps connected to the root of hide (v.). In Goth. only in gudhus "temple," lit. "god-house;" the usual word for "house" in Goth. being razn. Meaning "family, including ancestors and descendants, especially if noble" is from c.1000. The legislative sense (1540s) is transferred from the building in which the body meets. Meaning "audience in a theater" is from 1921; as a dance club DJ music style, probably from the Warehouse, a Chicago nightclub where the style is said to have originated. Zodiac sense is first attested late 14c. The verb meaning "give shelter to" is O.E. husian (cognate with Ger. hausen, Du. huizen). Household is first recorded late 14c.; for housewife (early 13c.) see hussy. To play house is from 1871; as suggestive of "have sex, shack up," 1968. House arrest first attested 1936; housewarming is from 1577; houseboat is 1790. On the house "free" is from 1889.
"And the Prophet Isaiah the sonne of Amos came to him, and saide vnto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not liue." [2 Kings xx.1, version of 1611]
housebreak: 1820, "to break into a house criminally;" sense of "to train a domestic animal to be clean in the house" is from 1900.
housekeeper: c.1440, "householder;" sense of "female head domestic servant of a house" is from 1607.
housing (1): "buildings, lodgings," c.1300, husing, from the root of house.
housing (2): "ornamental covering," 1312, houce "covering for the back and flanks of a horse," from M.L. hultia, from Frank. *khulfti (cf. M.Du. hulfte "pocket for bow and arrow," M.H.G. hulft "covering"). Sense of "case or enclosure for machine or part" is first recorded 1882.
hovel: 1358, "roofed passage, vent for smoke," later "shed for animals" (1435), of unknown origin. Meaning "shed for human habitation; rude or miserable cabin" is from 1625. It also sometimes meant "canopied niche for a statue or image" (1463).
hover: c.1400, hoveren, frequentative of hoven "hover, tarry, linger" (mid-13c.), of unknown origin, chiefly nautical at first, of ships standing off a coast. Hovercraft first attested 1959; a proprietary name after 1961.
how (adv.): O.E. hu, from W.Gmc. *khwo- (cf. O.S. hwo, O.Fris., M.Du. hu, Du. hoe, Ger. wie, Goth. hvaiwa "how"), from common PIE interrogative pronomial stem. However is M.E.; how come? for "why?" is recorded from 1848. And how! emphatic, first recorded 1865, said to be a Ger.-Amer. colloquialism.
how (interj.): Native American greeting, Siouxan (cf. Dakota hao, Omaha hau); first recorded 1817 in Eng, but noted early 17c. by Fr. missionary Jean de Brebeuf among Hurons as an expression of approval (1636).
Howard: proper name, from O.Fr. Huard, from a Gmc. source similar to O.H.G. *Hugihard "heart-brave," or *Hoh-weard, lit. "high defender; chief guardian." Also probably in some cases a confusion with cognate O.N. Haward, and also with unrelated Hayward. In some rare cases from O.E. eowu hierde "ewe herd."
howbeit: late 14c., contraction of how be it.
howdy: 1840, first recorded in Southern U.S. dialect, contraction of how do you do (1632), phrase inquiring after someone's health; earlier how do ye (1563).
however: late 14c., from how + ever.
howitzer: 1687, via Du. houwitser (1663), Ger. Haubitze from Czech houfnice "a catapult," introduced to Ger. during the Hussite wars, 14c.
howl (v.): c.1220, houlen, probably of imitative origin. Howler "glaring blunder, ridiculous mistake" is first recorded 1890.
hoyden: 1593, perhaps from Du. heiden "rustic, uncivilized man," from M.Du. heiden "heathen." Originally in Eng. "rude, boorish fellow," sense of "ill-bred, boisterous female" first recorded 1676.
Hoyle: cited as a typical authority on card or board games, in ref. to Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769), author of several works on card-playing.
HTML: 1992, from Hypertext Markup Language.
hub: 1511, perhaps from hubbe, originally "lump," the source of hob of a fireplace and hobnail, as in boots. A wheelwright's word, not generally known or used until c.1828; it reached wider currency in connection with bicycles. Meaning "center of interest or activity or importance" first recorded 1858 in writings of Oliver W. Holmes.
"Boston State-House is the hub of the solar system." [O.W. Holmes, "Autocrat of the Breakfast Table"]
Hub cap first recorded 1913.
hubba-hubba: U.S. slang cry of excitement or enthusiasm, first recorded 1944.
hubbub: 1555, whobub "confused noise," generally believed to be of Irish origin, perhaps from Gaelic ub!, expression of aversion or contempt, or O.Ir. battle cry abu, from buide "victory."
Hubert: masc. proper name, from Fr., from O.H.G. Hugubert, lit. "bright-minded," from hugu "mind" + beraht "bright."
hubris: 1884, from Gk. hybris "wanton violence, insolence, outrage," originally "presumption toward the gods," of unknown origin.
huckleberry: 1670, Amer.Eng., probably an alteration of M.E. hurtilbery "whortleberry," from O.E. horte. Technically the fruit and plant of Gaylussacia, but also colloquially applied to the closely related blueberry. Slang meaning "person of little consequence" is attested from 1835.
huckster: c.1200, M.Du. hokester "peddler," from hoken "to peddle" (see hawk (v.)) + agent suffix -ster (which was fem. in Eng., but not in Low Ger.). Derogatory sense is 16c.; specific sense of "advertising salesman" is from 1946 novel by Frederick Wakeman.
huddle (v.): 1564, "to heap or crowd together," probably from Low Ger. hudern "to cover, to shelter," from M.L.G. huden "to cover up" (see hide). The noun meaning "close or secret conference" is from 1929.
hue (1): "color," O.E. hiw "color, form, appearance, beauty," earlier hiow, heow, from P.Gmc. *khiwjan (cf. O.N. hy "bird's down," Swed. hy "skin, complexion," Goth. hiwi "form, appearance"), probably cognate with Skt. chawi "hide, skin, complexion, color, beauty, splendor." A common word in O.E., squeezed into obscurity after c.1600 by color.
hue (2): "a shouting," mid-13c., from O.Fr. hue "outcry, noise, war or hunting cry," probably of imitative origin. Hue and cry is late 13c. as an Anglo-Fr. legal term meaning "outcry calling for pursuit of a felon." Extended sense of "cry of alarm" is 1580s.
huff: mid-15c., apparently imitative of exhaling. Extended sense of "bluster with indignation" is attested from 1590s. Huffy "ready to take offense" is from 1670s.
hug: 1567, hugge "to embrace," perhaps from O.N. hugga "to comfort," from hugr "courage, mood," from P.Gmc. *hugjan, related to O.E. hycgan "to think, consider," Goth. hugs "mind, soul, thought." Other have noted the similarity in some senses to Ger. hegen "to foster, cherish," originally "to enclose with a hedge." The noun was originally (1617) a hold in wrestling.
huge: c.1150, apparently aphetic of O.Fr. ahuge "extremely large," of uncertain origin. Expanded form hugeous is attested from 1529.
huggermugger: "secretly," 1529, from Fr., earlier hucker mucker, of unknown origin.
Hugh: masc. proper name, from O.N.Fr. Hugues, O.Fr. Hue, from a Frank. name meaning "heart, mind," cf. O.H.G. Hugi, related to hugu "mind, soul, thought." Very popular after the Conquest (often in L. form Hugo); the common form was Howe, the nickname form Hudd. Its popularity is attested by the more than 90 surnames formed from it, including Hughes, Howe, Hudson, Hewitt, Hutchins.
Huguenot: 1562, from M.Fr., according to Fr. sources originally political, not religious. The name was applied in 1520s to Genevan partisans opposed to the Duke of Savoy (who joined Geneva to the Swiss Confederation), and it is probably an alteration of Swiss Ger. Eidgenoss "confederate," from M.H.G. eitgenoze, from eit "oath" + genoze "comrade" (related to O.E. geneat "comrade, companion"). The form of the Fr. word probably alt. by assoc. with Hugues Besançon, leader of the Genevan partisans. In Fr., applied generally to Fr. Protestants because Geneva was a Calvinist center.
hula: "traditional dance of Hawaii," 1825, from Hawaiian. Hula hoop first recorded 1958.
hulk: O.E. hulc "light, fast ship" (but in M.E. a heavy, unwieldy one), probably from O.Du. hulke and M.L. hulcus, from Gk. holkas "merchant ship," lit. "ship that is towed." Meaning "body of an old, worn-out ship" is first recorded 1671. The Hulks ("Great Expectations") were old ships used as prisons. Sense of "big, clumsy person" is first recorded 1597. The verb meaning "to go about in a hulking manner" is from 1793.
hull (1): "seed covering," from O.E. hulu, from P.Gmc. *khulus "to cover" (cf. O.H.G. hulla, hulsa). The verb was in M.E.; hulled can mean both "having a particular kind of hull" and "stripped of the hull."
hull (2): "body of a ship," 1571, perhaps from hull (1) on fancied resemblance of ship keels to open peapods (cf. L. carina "keel of a ship," originally "shell of a nut;" Gk. phaselus "light passenger ship, yacht," lit. "bean pod;" Fr. coque "hull of a ship, shell of a walnut or egg"). Alternative etymology is from M.E. hoole "ship's keel" (c.1440), from the same source as hold (n.).
hullabaloo: 1762, hollo-ballo "uproar," chiefly in northern England and Scot., perhaps a rhyming reduplication of hollo (see hello).
hum: late 14c., hommen "make a murmuring sound to cover embarrassment," later hummen "to buzz, drone" (early 15c.), probably of imitative origin. Sense of "sing with closed lips" is first attested late 15c.; that of "be busy and active" is 1884, perhaps on analogy of a beehive. Humming-bird (1630s) so called from sound made by the rapid vibration of its wings.
"There is a curious bird to see to, called a humming bird, no bigger then a great Beetle." [Thomas Morton, "New English Canaan," 1637]
human: mid-13c., from M.Fr. humain "of or belonging to man," from L. humanus, probably related to homo (gen. hominis) "man," and to humus "earth," on notion of "earthly beings," as opposed to the gods (cf. Heb. adam "man," from adamah "ground"). Cognate with O.Lith. zmuo (acc. zmuni) "man, male person." Displaced its O.E. cognate guma (from P.Gmc. *guman-) which survives only in disguise in bridegroom. First record of humankind is from 1640s. Humanoid (1918) is a hybrid of L. humanus and Gk. -oeides "like," from eidos "form, shape" (see -oid).
humane: mid-15c., variant of human, used interchangeably with it until early 18c., when it began to be a distinct word with sense of "having qualities befitting human beings." But inhuman still can be the opposite of humane. The Royal Humane Society (founded 1774) was originally to rescue drowning persons.
humanism: along with humanist used in a variety of philosophical and theological senses 16c.-18c., especially ones imitating L. humanitas "education befitting a cultivated man." Main modern sense traces to c.1860; as a pragmatic system of thought, defined 1907 by co-founder F.C.S. Schiller as: "The perception that the philosophical problem concerns human beings striving to comprehend a world of human experience by the resources of human minds." Humanist is from Fr. humaniste, from It. umanista, coined by It. poet Lodovicio Ariosto (1474-1533) "student of human affairs or human nature."
humanity: late 14c., from O.Fr. humanité, from L. humanitatem (nom. humanitas) "human nature, humanity," from humanus (see human). Originally in English "kindness, graciousness;" sense of "human race" first recorded mid-15c. Humanities (L. literæ humaniores) were those branches of literature (ancient classics, rhetoric, poetry) which tended to humanize or refine. Humanitarian (1819) originally was "one who affirms the humanity of Christ (but denies His divinity);" first used 1844 in modern sense of "one who advocates or practices human action;" usually disparaging at first, with a suggestion of excess.