Hun
Americannoun
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a member of a nomadic and warlike Asian people who devastated or controlled large parts of eastern and central Europe and who exercised their greatest power under Attila in the 5th century a.d.
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(often lowercase) a barbarous, destructive person; vandal.
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Older Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a German, especially a German soldier in World War I or II.
noun
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a member of any of several Asiatic nomadic peoples speaking Mongoloid or Turkic languages who dominated much of Asia and E Europe from before 300 bc , invading the Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries a.d
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informal (esp in World War I) a derogatory name for a German
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informal a vandal
Sensitive Note
The disparaging and offensive use of this term likens the Germans to the barbarous and warlike Huns of the 4th and 5th centuries. The source of the comparison was a speech by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1900, encouraging German soldiers bound for China to act toward the Chinese just like “the Huns a thousand years ago.”
Usage
What else does hun mean? Hun can be a term of endearment, a phonetic spelling from a shortening of honey. It's also used as a derogatory slang term for women involved in multi-level marketing.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Hun
before 900; 1895–1900 Hun for def. 3; singular of Huns, Old English Hūnas; cognate with Old Norse Hūnar; akin to Late Latin Hunnī
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His son, Hun Manet, who took over as prime minister from his father in 2023, said the pardon was "one more step towards strengthening national unity".
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
But Hun Sen is still president of the Senate, remains an influential figure in national politics, and is acting head of state while King Norodom Sihamoni receives medical treatment abroad.
From Barron's ● May 25, 2026
He stepped down as prime minister in 2023 and handed power to his eldest son, Hun Manet.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
Unfortunately, sanitized politicians have this shortcoming—they are not quite as interesting on stage as Attila the Hun or Boris Godunov.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
“The best first-act finale since Attila the Hun in Iambic Pentameter. Now, shall we purchase some snacks?”
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
