Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hex” come from?

Hex is a shortening of hexadecimal, which derives from Latin decas (group of ten) via Ancient Greek δέκα and Proto-Indo-European swéḱs, both meaning ten.

hex (English): To cast a spell on , to bewitch; An evil spell or...

Definitions

  1. To cast a spell on , to bewitch; An evil spell or...

Ancestry of “hex”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhexagonA polygon with six sides and six angles
2Latinhexagōnum—
3Ancient Greekἑξάγωνονhexagon
4Ancient Greekἑξα-Forming compound words with the sense of "six"
5Ancient Greekἕξsix
6Proto-Hellenichwékscardinal...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanswéḱssix

Words derived from “hex”

  • hexane
  • cyclohexane
  • hexyl
  • cyclohexanone
  • cyclohexanol
  • cyclohexyl
  • hexanal
  • hexachlorocyclohexane
  • hexanoate
  • hexylamine
  • hexylthiophene
  • hexanoic
  • hexanediol
  • hexylresorcinol
  • aminohexanoic
  • isohexane
  • polyhex
  • dihexyl
  • propylhexedrine
  • aminohexyl
  • hexer
  • aminohexanoate
  • perfluorohexyl
  • dicyclohexylurea
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swéḱs →