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hex1

[heks]
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verb (used with object)
  1. to bewitch; practice witchcraft on: He was accused of hexing his neighbors' cows because they suddenly stopped giving milk.
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noun
  1. spell; charm: With all this rain, somebody must have put a hex on our picnic.
  2. a witch.
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Origin of hex1

1820–30; < German Hexe witch; see hag1
Related formshex·er, noun

hex2

[heks]
adjective Informal.
  1. hexagonal: a bolt with a matching washer and hex nut.
  2. hexadecimal(def 1).
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Origin of hex2

First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening

hexa-

  1. a combining form meaning “six,” used in the formation of compound words: hexapartite.
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Also especially before a vowel, hex-.

Origin of hexa-

combining form representing Greek héx six

hex.

  1. hexagon
  2. hexagonal.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for hex

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The girl was a witch and she had put a hex on Mrs. Wladek, and that hex had to be removed.

    Hex

    Laurence Mark Janifer (AKA Larry M. Harris)

  • So, you were determined to find out what would happen if the hex were tried on a man?

  • One thing, however, he had learned was that the hex at least worked on humans.

  • In an instant Mirestone realized that the hex had not worked.

  • This went on during the whole day, until we got beyond Hex River Mountain.

British Dictionary definitions for hex

hex1

noun
    1. short for hexadecimal
    2. (as modifier)hex code
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hex2

verb
  1. (tr) to bewitch
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noun
  1. an evil spell or symbol of bad luck
  2. a witch
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Derived Formshexer, noun

Word Origin

C19: via Pennsylvania Dutch from German Hexe witch, from Middle High German hecse, perhaps from Old High German hagzissa; see hag 1

hexa-

before a vowel hex-

combining form
  1. sixhexachord; hexameter
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Word Origin

from Greek, from hex six
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

Word Origin and History for hex

v.

1830, American English, from Pennsylvania German hexe "to practice witchcraft," from German hexen "to hex," related to Hexe "witch," from Middle High German hecse, hexse, from Old High German hagazussa (see hag). Noun meaning "magic spell" is first recorded 1909; earlier it meant "a witch" (1856).

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hexa-

before vowels, hex-, word-forming element meaning "six," from Greek hexa-, comb. form of hex "six" (see six).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
hex in Medicine

hexa-

pref.
  1. Six:hexagram.
  2. Containing six atoms, molecules, or groups:hexose.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.