hand

Pronunciation: /ˈheə̯nd/

Reading level: easy

Estimated CEFR level: A1 — Beginner

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
  2. noun a hired laborer on a farm or ranch
  3. noun something written by hand

Etymology

From Middle English hond, hand, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz. See also Dutch and Swedish hand (“hand”), Danish hånd, German Hand, West Frisian hân. Perhaps compare Old Swedish hinna (“to gain”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰-𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌸𐌰𐌽 (fra-hinþan, “to take captive, capture”); and Latvian sīts (“hunting spear”), Ancient Greek κεντέω (kentéō, “prick”), Albanian çandër (“pitchfork, prop”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

manus, mitt, paw

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
extremity
Narrower (hyponyms)
hooks, fist, right, left

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