Dictionary.com

hood

1
[ hood ]
/ hʊd /
Save This Word!

noun
verb (used with object)
to furnish with a hood.
to cover with or as if with a hood.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of hood

1
First recorded before 900, in 1925–30 for def. 3 (an Americanism); Middle English hode, Old English hōd; cognate with Old Frisian hōde, Dutch hoed, German Hut hat

OTHER WORDS FROM hood

hoodless, adjectivehoodlike, adjective

Other definitions for hood (2 of 5)

hood2
[ hood, hood ]
/ hʊd, hud /

noun Slang.
a hoodlum.

Origin of hood

2
First recorded in 1925–30; by shortening

Other definitions for hood (3 of 5)

'hood

or hood

[ hood ]
/ hʊd /

noun Slang.
a neighborhood, especially an urban neighborhood inhabited predominantly by African Americans of low socioeconomic status: It’s hard for these kids to break the cycle of poverty and get out of the 'hood.

Origin of 'hood

First recorded in 1965–70; African American Vernacular English; by shortening

Other definitions for hood (4 of 5)

Hood
[ hood ]
/ hʊd /

noun
John Bell, 1831–79, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
Raymond Math·ew·son [math-yoo-suhn], /ˈmæθ yu sən/, 1881–1934, U.S. architect.
Robin. Robin Hood.
Thomas, 1799–1845, English poet and humorist.
Mount, a volcanic peak in N Oregon, in the Cascade Range. 11,253 feet (3,430 meters).

Other definitions for hood (5 of 5)

-hood

a native English suffix denoting state, condition, character, nature, etc., or a body of persons of a particular character or class, formerly used in the formation of nouns: childhood; likelihood; knighthood; priesthood.

Origin of -hood

Middle English -hode, -hod,Old English -hād (cognate with German -heit), special use of hād condition, state, order, quality, rank
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WORDS THAT USE -HOOD

What does -hood mean?

The suffixhood is used to indicate “a state of being” or “a group of a particular characteristic or class.” It is often used in a variety of technical and everyday terms.

The form –hood comes from Old English hād, meaning “condition” or “rank.” Similar suffixes in Latin include –itās and –tūdō, both of which indicate a state of being and are the sources of the English suffixes ity and tude. Check out our entries for both suffixes to learn how frequently they appear.

Examples of -hood

An example of a word you may have encountered that features –hood is adulthood, “the state or period of being fully grown, fully developed, or of age.”

The adult– portion of the word means, naturally enough, “adult,” from Latin adultus. As we have seen, –hood refers to “a state of being.” Adulthood literally means “the state of being an adult.”

What are some words that use the equivalent form of –hood in Middle English?

What are some other forms that –hood may be commonly confused with?

Break it down!

Given the meaning of -hood, what does sisterhood mean?

How to use hood in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hood (1 of 5)

hood1
/ (hʊd) /

noun
verb
(tr) to cover or provide with or as if with a hood

Derived forms of hood

hoodless, adjectivehoodlike, adjective

Word Origin for hood

Old English hōd; related to Old High German huot hat, Middle Dutch hoet, Latin cassis helmet; see hat

British Dictionary definitions for hood (2 of 5)

hood2
/ (hʊd) /

noun
slang short for hoodlum (def. 1)

British Dictionary definitions for hood (3 of 5)

'hood
/ (hʊd) /

noun
slang, mainly US short for neighbourhood

British Dictionary definitions for hood (4 of 5)

Hood
/ (hʊd) /

noun
Robin See Robin Hood
Samuel, 1st Viscount. 1724–1816, British admiral. He fought successfully against the French during the American Revolution and the French Revolutionary Wars
Thomas. 1799–1845, British poet and humorist: his work includes protest poetry, such as The Song of the Shirt (1843) and The Bridge of Sighs (1844)

British Dictionary definitions for hood (5 of 5)

-hood

suffix forming nouns
indicating state or condition of beingmanhood; adulthood
indicating a body of personsknighthood; priesthood

Word Origin for -hood

Old English -hād
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK