hean

Meanings

Adjective

• Mean; abject; poor; humble; lowly.

Verb

• To treat with contumely; insult; humiliate; debase; lower.

Origin

• From Middle English hene, from Old English hēan, from Proto-Germanic *hauniz, from Proto-Indo-European *kaw-. Cognate with German höhn, Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌽𐍃, Dutch hoon, Latvian kauns, Ancient Greek καυνός.
• From Middle English henen, from Old English hīenan, from Proto-West Germanic *haunijan, from Proto-Germanic *haunijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *kaw-.
• Cognate with North Frisian huynjen, German höhnen Swedish hån.