Hean Definition

Origin of Hean

• From Middle English hene, from Old English hēan (“lowly, despised, poor, mean, bare, abject”), from Proto-Germanic *hauniz (“low, lowly”), from Proto-Indo-European *kau- (“to degrade, humiliate”). Cognate with German höhn (“jeering, demeaning, bad”), Gothic [script?] (hauns, “contemptible, base, humble”), Dutch hoon (“scorn, insult”), Latvian kauns (“shame, disgrace, dishonour”), Ancient Greek καυνός (kaunós, “bad”).

  From Wiktionary

• From Middle English henen, from Old English hīenan (“to fell, prostrate, overcome, weaken, crush, afflict, injure, oppress, abase, humble, insult, accuse, condemn”), from Proto-Germanic *haunijaną (“to humiliate”), from Proto-Indo-European *kau- (“to degrade, humiliate”). Cognate with North Frisian huynjen (“to wound, abuse, hurt”), German höhnen (“to mock, jeer, scoff”) Swedish hån (“heckle, mocking”).

  From Wiktionary