English Words Starting With H

• half rest

  nounLow (Specialist term used primarily in music contexts)
  /ˌhɑːf ˈrɛst/A symbol in musical notation indicating a silence lasting for half the duration of a whole rest or two beats in common time.
• half shell

  nounC1
  /ˌhɑːf ˈʃɛl/A single, cup-like valve of a bivalve mollusc (like an oyster, clam, or mussel) when served as food.
• half size

  nounB1
  /ˌhɑːf ˈsaɪz/being one of two equal parts of something; reduced to fifty percent of the original dimensions, scale, or quantity.
• half snipe

  nounVery Rare
  /ˌhɑːf ˈsnaɪp/A small or young snipe (a type of wading bird).
• half sovereign

  nounLow
  /ˌhɑːf ˈsɒv.rɪn/A British gold coin historically worth ten shillings, or half the value of a sovereign.
• half step

  nounLow-medium (specialist term in music; metaphorical use is rare)
  /ˌhɑːf ˈstep/The smallest interval between two notes in standard Western music, equivalent to one semitone.
• half story

  nounB2 (Upper Intermediate)
  /ˌhɑːf ˈstɔː.ri/A narrative, account, or explanation that is deliberately incomplete or misleading by omission of significant facts.
• half term

  nounB1
  /ˌhɑːf ˈtɜːm/A short holiday in the middle of a school term, typically lasting about a week.
• half tide

  nounC1-C2
  /ˌhɑːf ˈtaɪd/The state of the tide when halfway between high and low water.
• half tiger

  nounC1/C2 (Low frequency; primarily found in analytical, literary, or political commentary)
  /ˌhɑːf ˈtaɪɡə/A metaphorical or idiomatic expression describing a person, entity, or situation that possesses a dual, contradictory, or incomplete nature—specifically, one that is partly fierce, powerful, or predatory (like a tiger) and partly something else, often implying a dangerous or unstable hybrid.
• half tone

  nounC1
  /ˈhɑːf təʊn/A musical interval equal to one semitone; a half-step in a musical scale.
• half twist

  nounC1+
  /ˌhɑːf ˈtwɪst/a rotational movement of 180 degrees around a longitudinal axis
• half volley

  nounverbC2
  /ˌhɑːf ˈvɒli/A shot or stroke in sports (especially tennis, football, cricket) where the ball is struck immediately after it bounces, at the very low point of its rebound.
• half wellington

  nounLow
  /ˌhɑːf ˈwɛlɪŋtən/A type of boot that reaches just above the ankle, shorter than a full Wellington boot.
• half-a-crown

  nounVery Low (Historical/Archaic)
  /ˌhɑːf ə ˈkraʊn/A former British coin worth two shillings and sixpence (2/6), equivalent to one-eighth of a pound sterling.
• half-a-dollar

  nounRare (Historical/Literary)
  /ˌhɑːf ə ˈdɒlə/A specific historical coin or sum of money equal to 50 cents, representing half of a standard US dollar unit.
• half-and-half

  adjectiveadverbnounB2
  /ˌhɑːf ən ˈhɑːf/Something consisting of equal or roughly equal parts of two different elements.
• half-ball

  nounLow
  /ˌhɑːf ˈbɔːl/In billiards, pool, or snooker, a hit where the cue ball strikes the object ball at its exact midpoint, causing the object ball to travel at a 90-degree angle from the cue ball's original path.
• half-binding

  nounC2/Extremely Rare
  /ˌhɑːf ˈbaɪndɪŋ/A style of bookbinding where the spine and corners are covered in one material (usually leather or a durable cloth), while the rest of the covers are covered in a different, often decorative, material.
• half-blind joint

  nounLow/Very Specialized
  /ˌhɑːf ˈblaɪnd dʒɔɪnt/A woodworking joint where part of one component is concealed within a recess in the other, leaving only part of the joint visible.

Showing 381–400 of 5990 words.