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• Hector
  Hector

  noun

  the eldest son of Priam and husband of Andromache: the greatest Trojan hero in the Trojan War, killed by Achilles.
• hector
  hector

  verb

  to bully or torment

Hector

American  

[hek-ter] / ˈhɛk tər /

noun

1. Classical Mythology. the eldest son of Priam and husband of Andromache: the greatest Trojan hero in the Trojan War, killed by Achilles.

2. (lowercase) a blustering, domineering person; a bully.

3. a male given name.

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verb (used with object)

1. (lowercase) to treat with insolence; bully; torment.

   The teacher hectored his students incessantly.

   Synonyms:

   harass, badger, persecute, torture

verb (used without object)

1. (lowercase) to act in a blustering, domineering way; be a bully.

hector ¹ British  

/ ˈhɛktə /

verb

1. to bully or torment

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noun

1. a blustering bully

Hector ² British  

/ ˈhɛktə /

noun

1. classical myth a son of King Priam of Troy, who was killed by Achilles

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Hector Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, a prince of Troy and the bravest of the Trojan warriors. At the end of the Trojan War (see also Trojan War), Achilles killed Hector and then dragged his body behind a chariot around the walls of Troy.

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Etymology

Origin of Hector

< Latin < Greek Héktōr, special use of adj. héktōr holding fast

Explanation

To hector is to boss around or verbally bully someone. An older brother might hector his little sister until she hands over part of her Halloween candy. When you bombard someone with words, nagging and badgering until you get what you want, you hector. A teacher might feel the need to hector a class that consistently forgets to hand in homework assignments, and a playground bully might hector another child to give him her lunch money. The verb hector comes from the character in Greek mythology — Hector — who rallied the Trojans to keep fighting.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Hector hector

By Hector Berlioz writing of a possessed piano that plays itself, or by Kim Stanley Robinson’s fictional “Holywelkin’s Orchestra,” which turns mere thought into musical reality?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Tommy, on how Hector has shown up as a neighbor: The greatest neighbor I ever had was my childhood friend, Hector.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

The Swedish deputy national police commissioner Stefan Hector said they were "constantly expanding our co-operation with other countries" and showing organised criminals "they cannot feel safe anywhere in the world".

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

For now, I am reminded of the comment made by “Saki,” aka Hector Hugh Munro, a famous English writer from over 100 years ago.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

“I would like you to show this gentleman what you can do,” Hector says.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

He couldn’t simply hector away the constraints of a courtroom and the clear language of the law.

From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2024

I do not want to nag or hector.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2021

I’d hector you for appropriating my culture, but these pages are a safe space for sartorial experimentation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2021

We can spend the next year trying to hector independents out of the race.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2019

“Paid subordinates! What! you are my paid subordinate, are you? Oh yes, I had forgotten the salary! Well then, on that mercenary ground, will you agree to let me hector a little?”

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• browbeat
• irritate
• nag