Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors - Bill Bryson [58]
Hendrix, Jimi. (1942–1970) Born Johnny Allen Hendrix; American rock musician.
Hennes & Mauritz. Clothing retailer.
Hennessy cognac.
Henry, O. Pen name of William Sydney Porter (1862–1910), American short story writer. The candy bar is Oh Henry!
hepatitis.
Hephaestus. Greek god of fire and metalworking; analogous to Roman god Vulcan.
Hephaesteion/Temple of Hephaestus, Athens, Greece.
Hepplewhite. Eighteenth-century style of furniture, named after English cabinetmaker George Hepplewhite (d. 1786).
Hera. Greek goddess and wife of Zeus; identified with the Roman goddess Juno.
Heracles, Hercules. The first was a Greek demigod; the second was a Roman god derived from Heracles.
herbaceous.
Herculaneum. Roman city destroyed with Pompeii in AD 79.
herculean.
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.
hermaphrodite. Plant or animal having male and female characteristics; from the Greek god Hermaphroditus.
hermeneutics. (Sing.) The science of interpretation, especially of biblical texts.
Hermes. In Greek mythology, the messenger to the gods and guide to souls of the dead, as well as god of science, commerce, oratory, and travel; identified with the Roman god Mercury.
Hero and Leander. Tragic lovers in Greek legend; Hero drowned herself in despair after Leander perished while swimming the Hellespont to see her.
heroin, heroine. The first is a dangerous drug; the second is a female hero.
herpetology. The study of reptiles.
Herschbach, Dudley R. (1932–) American scientist, awarded Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1986).
Herschel, Sir William. (1738–1822) German-born English astronomer, discoverer of Uranus.
Hershko, Avram. (1932–) Hungarian-born Israeli scientist, awarded Nobel Prize for Chemistry (2004).
Herzog & de Meuron. Swiss architectural firm named for Jacques Herzog (1950–) and Pierre de Meuron (1950–).
Hess, Rudolf. (1894–1987) German Nazi politician.
Hesse, Hermann. (1877–1972) German writer.
heterogeneous. Made of unrelated parts.
heureusement. (Fr.) “Happily.”
heuristics. The solving of problems through trial and error; it is singular.
Hewitt, Lleyton. (1981–) Australian tennis player. Note unusual spelling of first name.
Hewlett-Packard Company. (Hyphen.)
Heyerdahl, Thor. (1914–2002) Norwegian anthropologist.
Hezbollah (or Hizbollah). Militant Lebanese Shiite Muslim group.
HI. Postal abbreviation of Hawaii. The traditional abbreviation is Ha., with period.
Hiawatha, The Song of. Epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1855).
hiccup, hiccough. The first is now generally the preferred spelling.
hic et nunc. (Lat.) “Here and now.”
Hicpochee, Lake, Florida.
hierarchy, hierarchies, hierarchical.
hieroglyphics.
higgledy-piggledy.
highfalutin (no apos.) is the standard spelling, though many dictionaries also accept highfaluting, highfaluten, and hifalutin. It is still considered informal by most sources. Its origin is uncertain.
high-flier.
high jinks (two words) is the usual spelling, though some dictionaries also accept hijinks. The derivation is unknown, but it is not related to (or to be confused with) jinx as in bad luck. The word can be used as either singular or plural.
hijab. Scarf or head cover for Muslim women and, by extension, the system of modesty that goes with it.
Hikmatyar (or Hekmatyar), Gulbuddin. (1947–) Afghan warlord, leader of Hizb-e-Islami faction; prime minister of Afghanistan (1993–1994).
Hillary, Sir Edmund. (1919–2008) New Zealand explorer and mountaineer, first person to scale Everest (1953).
Himmler, Heinrich. (1900–1945) Nazi leader.
Hindenburg. Dirigible that exploded at Lakehurst, New Jersey, in 1937.
Hindi, Hindu, Hinduism, Hindustani. Hindi is the main language of India and Hindustani is its main dialect. Hinduism is the main religious and social system of India. Hindu describes a follower of Hinduism.
hindrance. Not -erance.
Hindu Kush. Mountain range in Afghanistan.
hippie. Not -ppy.
Hippocrates. (c. 460–377 BC) Greek physician, considered the father of medicine.
hippopotamus, pl. hippopotamuses.
hireable.
Hirschfeld, Al. (1903–2003) American