ham

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English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
A baked ham (cured thigh of hog)

Etymology 1

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Inherited from Middle English hamme, from Old English hamm (inner or hind part of the knee, ham), from Proto-Germanic *hamō, *hammō, *hanmō, from Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m (leg).

Cognate with Dutch ham (ham), dialectal German Hamme (hind part of the knee, ham), dialectal Swedish ham (the hind part of the knee), Icelandic höm (the ham or haunch of a horse), Old Irish cnáim (bone), Ancient Greek κνήμη (knḗmē, shinbone). Compare gammon.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham (countable and uncountable, plural hams)

  1. (anatomy) The region back of the knee joint; the popliteal space; the hock.
  2. (countable) A thigh and buttock of an animal slaughtered for meat.
  3. (uncountable) Meat from the thigh of a hog cured for food.
    a little piece of ham for the cat
    • 2012, Audra Lilly Griffeth, A King's Daughter, →ISBN:
      She put some ham in the beans and cut up some sweet potatoes to boil.
  4. The back of the thigh.
  5. (Internet, informal, uncommon) Electronic mail that is wanted; mail that is not spam or junk mail.
    Synonym: ham e-mail
    Antonym: spam
Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Etymology 2

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Derived from Old English hām.

Noun

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ham (uncountable)

  1. Obsolete form of home.
Usage notes
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  • Persists in many old place names, such as Buckingham.

References

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Etymology 3

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Uncertain, though it is generally agreed upon that it first appeared in print around the 1880s. At least four theories persist:

  • It came naturally from the word amateur. Deemed likely by Hendrickson (1997), but then the question would be why it took so long to pop up. He rejects the folk etymology of Cockney slang hamateur because it originated in American English.[1]
  • From the play Hamlet, where the title character was often played poorly and/or in an exaggerated manner. Also deemed likely by Hendrickson, though he raises the issue that the term would have likely been around earlier if this were case.
  • From the minstrel's practice of using ham fat to remove heavy black makeup used during performances.[2]
  • Shortened from hamfatter (inferior actor), said to derive from the 1863 minstrel show song The Ham-fat Man.[3] William and Mary Morris (1988) argue that it's not known whether the song inspired the term or the term inspired the song, but that they believe the latter is the case.

Noun

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ham (plural hams)

  1. (acting) An overacting or amateurish performer; an actor with an especially showy or exaggerated style.
    Synonyms: hambone, hamfatter, overactor, tear-cat
    • 2023 June 13, Dwight Garner, quoting James Wood, “Cormac McCarthy, Novelist of a Darker America, Is Dead at 89”, in The New York Times[1], →ISSN:
      Writing in The New Yorker in 2005, James Wood praised Mr. McCarthy as “a colossally gifted writer” and “one of the great hams of American prose, who delights in producing a histrionic rhetoric that brilliantly ventriloquizes the King James Bible, Shakespearean and Jacobean tragedy, Melville, Conrad, and Faulkner.”
  2. (radio) An amateur radio operator.
    Synonym: radio amateur
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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ham (third-person singular simple present hams, present participle hamming, simple past and past participle hammed)

  1. (acting) To overact; to act with exaggerated emotions.
Synonyms
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Translations
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hendrickson, Robert (1997) The Facts on File encyclopedia of word and phrase origins, New York: Facts on File, →ISBN
  2. ^ Morris, William (1988) Morris dictionary of word and phrase origins, New York: Harper & Row, →ISBN
  3. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “ham”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams

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Afrikaans

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Etymology

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Inherited from Dutch ham, from Middle Dutch hamme, from Old Dutch [Term?], from Proto-Germanic *hammō, from Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m (leg).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham (plural hamme, diminutive hammetjie)

  1. ham (cured pork from the thigh of a swine)

Caribbean Hindustani

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Etymology

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Cognate with Hindi हम (ham, we).

Pronoun

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ham

  1. I

References

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  • Beknopt Nederland-Sarnami Woordenboek met Sarnami Hindoestani-Nederlanse Woordenlijst[2] (in Dutch), Paramaribo: Instituut voor Taalwetenschap, 2002

Catalan

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Catalan Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia ca

Etymology

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Derived from Latin hamus.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham m (plural hams)

  1. fishhook

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Cebuano

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Etymology

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Derived from English ham, from Middle English hamme, from Old English hamm (inner or hind part of the knee, ham), from Proto-Germanic *hamō, *hammō, *hanmō, from Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m (leg).

Noun

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ham

  1. ham (meat from the thigh of a hog cured for food)

Chamorro

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Etymology

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Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kami, from Proto-Austronesian *kami. Cognates include Indonesian kami and Tagalog kami.

Pronunciation

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Pronoun

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ham

  1. we, us (exclusive)

Usage notes

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See also

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References

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  • Donald M. Topping (1973) Chamorro Reference Grammar[3], Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Chinese

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Etymology

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

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Verb

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ham

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, euphemistic) to die

Synonyms

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Danish

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Etymology 1

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Inherited from Old Norse hamr, Proto-Germanic *hamaz, *hamô.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈhɑmˀ/, [ˈhɑ̈mˀ]

Noun

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ham c (singular definite hammen, plural indefinite hamme)

  1. slough, skin
Declension
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Derived terms
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Etymology 2

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Older hannem, from Old Norse hǫnum, the dative of hann (he). Compare Swedish honom.

Pronunciation

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Pronoun

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ham

  1. (personal) him: objective of han

See also

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Dutch

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Etymology

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Inherited from Middle Dutch hamme, from Old Dutch *hama, from Proto-Germanic *hammō, from Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m (leg).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham f (plural hammen, diminutive hammetje n)

  1. ham (cured pork from the thigh of a swine)

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Papiamentu: ham

Fiji Hindi

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Etymology

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Derived from Hindi हम (ham, we, I).

Pronoun

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ham

  1. I (1st person singular personal pronoun)
    Ham khelegaa!
    I will play!

Fyer

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Etymology

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Cognate with Gerka ram (water).

Noun

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ham

  1. water

References

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  • Roger Blench, Ron Comparative Wordlist
  • Takács, Gábor (2007) Etymological Dictionary of Egyptian, volume 3, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 201, →ISBN:
    [] we should carefully distinguish the following Ch. roots from AA *m-ˀ "water" [GT]:
    (1) Ch. *h-m "water" [GT]: WCh. *hama [Stl.]: AS *ham (Gmy. *hām) [GT 2004, 153] = *am [Stl. 1977] = *ham [Dlg.] = *ham [Stl. 1987]: [] Ron *ham [GT]: Fyer & Bks. & DB & Sha ham, Klr. ˀaàm []
  • Václav Blažek, A Lexicostatistical comparison of Omotic languages, in In Hot Pursuit of Language in Prehistory: Essays in the four fields of anthropology, page 122

Galician

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Verb

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ham

  1. (reintegrationist norm) third-person plural present indicative of haver

German

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Etymology

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A pronunciation spelling of haben.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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ham

  1. (colloquial) Contraction of haben
    Wir ham grad gefrühstückt.We've just had breakfast.

Usage notes

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Usually used in the present or to form the perfect, though it may be seen in the infinitive as well. See also the note at haben.

See also

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Irish

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham m

  1. h-prothesized form of am

Laz

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Pronoun

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ham

  1. Latin spelling of ჰამ (ham)

Middle English

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Etymology 1

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Inherited from Old English ham, hamm (enclosure), from Proto-West Germanic *hamm, from Proto-Germanic *hammaz.

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham (plural hammes)

  1. An enclosed pasture.

References

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Etymology 2

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Noun

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ham (plural hames)

  1. Alternative form of hamme (back of the knee)

Etymology 3

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Pronoun

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ham

  1. Alternative form of hem (them)

Etymology 4

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Inherited from Old English heom

Pronoun

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ham

  1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of hem (them)
    • c1225, Þe Liflade ant te Passiun of Seinte Iuliene, ed. S. T. R. O. d'Ardenne, pp. 3-71.
      [Juliana] custe ham coss os peis [Roy: acos of pes] alle as ha stoden.

Etymology 5

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham (plural hamen or hames)

  1. (Early Middle English, Northern) Alternative form of hom (home)

Middle French

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Noun

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ham m (plural hams)

  1. village

Montol

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Etymology

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Cognate with Mwaghavul am (water).

Noun

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hàm

  1. water

References

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  • Takács, Gábor (2007) Etymological Dictionary of Egyptian, volume 3, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 201, →ISBN:
    [] we should carefully distinguish the following Ch. roots from AA *m-ˀ "water" [GT]:
    (1) Ch. *h-m "water" [GT]: WCh. *hama [Stl.]: AS *ham (Gmy. *hām) [GT 2004, 153] = *am [Stl. 1977] = *ham [Dlg.] = *ham [Stl. 1987]: [] Tal hàm [Jng./JI], Mnt. hàm "Wasser" [Jng. 1965, 171], []

North Frisian

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Pronoun

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ham

  1. (Föhr-Amrum, Mooring) Object case of hi: him, himself
  2. (Föhr-Amrum, Mooring) Object case of hat: it, (in practice chiefly) itself
  3. (Föhr-Amrum) Object case of hat: her, herself

Alternative forms

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See also

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Norwegian Bokmål

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Etymology 1

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Inherited from Old Norse hann.

Pronunciation

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Pronoun

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ham

  1. him

See also

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Etymology 2

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Inherited from Old Norse hamr.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham m (definite singular hammen, indefinite plural hammer, definite plural hammene)

  1. skin or slough (discarded skin of certain animals)
Derived terms
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References

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Norwegian Nynorsk

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Etymology

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Derived from Old Norse hamr.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham m (definite singular hamen, indefinite plural hamar, definite plural hamane)

  1. skin or slough (discarded skin of certain animals)

Derived terms

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References

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Old English

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Etymology 1

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Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *haim, from Proto-Germanic *haimaz.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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hām m

  1. home
    • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Assumption of St. John the Apostle"
      Ða het se apostol ða bære settan, and cwæð, "Min Drihten, Hælend Crist! Arære ðe, Drusiana; aris, and ġecyrr hām, and gearca ús gereordunge on þinum hūse." Drusiana þa arás swilce of slæpe awreht, and, carfull be ðæs apostoles hæse, hām gewende.
      Then the apostle bade them set down the bier, and said, "My Lord, Jesus Christ! Raise thee, Drusiana; arise, and return home, and prepare refection for us in thy house." Drusiana then arose as if from sleep awakened, and, mindful of the apostle's command, returned home.
  2. property, estate, farm
    • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Saint Maur, Abbot"
      ...and forġeaf sumne hām tō þǣre hālgan stōwe...
      ...and gave certain property to the holy place...
  3. village; community
Usage notes
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  • In early Old English, the dative singular was always hām, not the expected form hāme.
Declension
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Derived terms
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Adverb

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hām

  1. home, homeward
    hām gānto go home
    hām cumanto come home
    hām ċierranto turn home
    hām bringanto bring home

Descendants

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Etymology 2

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Inherited from Proto-Germanic *hammaz. Cognate with Old Frisian ham, Middle Low German hamme (Low Low German Hamm).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham m

  1. Alternative form of hamm (enclosure)

Etymology 3

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Inherited from Proto-Germanic *hammō.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham f

  1. Alternative form of hamm (inner knee)

Etymology 4

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Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ham, from Proto-Germanic *hamaz (covering). Cognate with Old Norse hamr.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ham m

  1. covering
  2. garment, dress, gown; shirt
Declension
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Old French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Frankish *haim (home, village).

Noun

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ham oblique singularm (oblique plural hans, nominative singular hans, nominative plural ham)

  1. village

Descendants

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Old Frisian

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Ēn hām.

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *haim. Cognates include Old English hām and Old Saxon hēm.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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hām m

  1. home

Descendants

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  • North Frisian: hamm
  • Saterland Frisian: Heem
  • West Frisian: hiem

References

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  • Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 28

Old Norse

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Noun

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ham

  1. accusative/dative singular of hamr

Rohingya

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Noun

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ham

  1. work

Derived terms

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Romanian

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Borrowed from Hungarian hám.

Noun

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ham n (plural hamuri)

  1. harness
Declension
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Derived terms
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Etymology 2

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Onomatopoeic.

Interjection

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ham!

  1. woof (the sound a barking dog makes)

See also

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Ron

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Etymology

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Cognate with Gerka ram (water).

Noun

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ham

  1. (most dialects, including Mangar, Bokkos, Daffo-Butura, Shagawu) water

Synonyms

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References

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  • Roger Blench, Ron Comparative Wordlist
  • Takács, Gábor (2007) Etymological Dictionary of Egyptian, volume 3, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 201, →ISBN:
    [] we should carefully distinguish the following Ch. roots from AA *m-ˀ "water" [GT]:
    (1) Ch. *h-m "water" [GT]: WCh. *hama [Stl.]: AS *ham (Gmy. *hām) [GT 2004, 153] = *am [Stl. 1977] = *ham [Dlg.] = *ham [Stl. 1987]: [] Ron *ham [GT]: Fyer & Bks. & DB & Sha ham, Klr. ˀaàm []

Serbo-Croatian

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Hungarian hám.

Noun

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hȃm m (Cyrillic spelling ха̑м)

  1. harness

Sha

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Etymology

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Cognate with Gerka ram (water).

Noun

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ham

  1. water

References

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Tal

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Etymology

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Cognate with Mwaghavul am (water).

Noun

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hàm

  1. water

References

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  • Takács, Gábor (2007) Etymological Dictionary of Egyptian, volume 3, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 201, →ISBN:
    [] we should carefully distinguish the following Ch. roots from AA *m-ˀ "water" [GT]:
    (1) Ch. *h-m "water" [GT]: WCh. *hama [Stl.]: AS *ham (Gmy. *hām) [GT 2004, 153] = *am [Stl. 1977] = *ham [Dlg.] = *ham [Stl. 1987]: [] Tal hàm [Jng./JI], Mnt. hàm "Wasser" [Jng. 1965, 171], []

Tambas

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Etymology

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Cognate with Gerka ram (water).

Noun

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ham

  1. water

References

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Turkish

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Etymology

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Derived from Persian خام (xâm).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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ham

  1. raw

Vietnamese

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Etymology

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This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “Related to tham? The shift of aspirated stops to /h/ is attested, but only in certain very frequently used words, which I don't think "to be greedy" can be considered one of.”

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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ham (𫺧, 𫻎)

  1. greedy
    ham chơi
    (disapproving) to be obsessed with fooling around
  2. eager; keen

Derived terms

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Derived terms

See also

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West Frisian

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Etymology

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Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hammō. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

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ham c (plural hammen, diminutive hamke)

  1. ham

Further reading

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  • ham (II)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

Yola

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Pronoun

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ham

  1. Alternative form of him
    • 1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY:
      Ich drowe ham.
      I throw him.

References

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  • Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 36