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• hex
  hex

  verb (used with object)

  to bewitch; practice witchcraft on.
• hex.
  hex.

  abbreviation

  hexagon

hex

¹ American  

[heks] / hɛks /

verb (used with object)

hexes, present (3rd person singular) hexed, past participle, past hexing present participle

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

hexes plural

1. spell; charm.

   With all this rain, somebody must have put a hex on our picnic.

2. a witch.

hex ² American  

[heks] / hɛks /

adjective

Informal.

1. hexagonal.

   a bolt with a matching washer and hex nut.

2. hexadecimal.

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hex. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. hexagon

2. hexagonal.

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hex ¹ British  

/ hɛks /

noun

1. 1. short for hexadecimal

   2. ( as modifier )

      hex code

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hex ² British  

/ hɛks /

verb

1. (tr) to bewitch

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noun

1. an evil spell or symbol of bad luck

2. a witch

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hexer
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hexes
  plural

Participles

• hexing
  present
• hexed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• hex
  simple
• hexes
  simple
• have hexed
  perfect
• has hexed
  perfect
• am hexing
  progressive
• are hexing
  progressive
• is hexing
  progressive
• have been hexing
  perfect progressive
• has been hexing
  perfect progressive

Past

• hexed
  simple
• had hexed
  perfect
• was hexing
  progressive
• were hexing
  progressive
• had been hexing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will hex
  simple
• will have hexed
  perfect
• will be hexing
  progressive
• will have been hexing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of hex¹

1820–30; < German Hexe witch; see hag ¹

Origin of hex²

First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening

Explanation

A hex is a magic spell or charm that's meant to cause harm. A witch in a story, for example, might put a hex on a prince that turns him into a chicken. If you believe in magic, you might either fear hexes or aspire to learn how to put them on your enemies — to hex them. In the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, "hex signs," forms of stars, flowers, and circles, are commonly painted on barns. Though tourists often interpret these as having superstitious meanings, they're really just folk art symbols. The Middle High German root of hex is Hexe, or "witch."

Example Sentences

Now the co-founder and CEO of data-analytics startup Hex Technologies, McCardel has deliberately chosen not to utilize FDEs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

A place where one can come for the fantasy, and stay for the chicken etouffee and the Hex Breaker, a tiki-style, rum-heavy drink for grown-up sorcerers.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

“Coding has been the first breakout category of tools revolutionized by AI,” said Barry McCardel, co-founder and chief executive of data analytics startup Hex, based in San Francisco.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

Hex Studios started speaking to the Subotsky family two years ago.

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2023

“You want to be careful, Blaise! I saw this young lady perform the most marvelous Bat-Bogey Hex as I was passing her carriage! I wouldn’t cross her!”

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• jinx
• whammy