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Added 7 October 2026

hit

/hɪt/ symbol

In Latin: feriō, battuo, pello Wiktionary

symbol Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about hit at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Hittite.

verb

To strike. To administer a blow to, directly or with a weapon or missile.
One boy hit the other.
To administer a blow to, directly or with a weapon or missile.
One boy hit the other.
To come into contact with forcefully and suddenly.
The ball hit the fence.

noun

A blow; a punch; a striking against; the collision of one body against another; the stroke that touches anything.
The hit was very slight.
Something very successful, such as a song, film, or video game, that receives widespread recognition and acclaim.
A blow; a calamitous or damaging occurrence.
His reputation took a hit when the new information came to light.

adjective

Very successful.
The band played their hit song to the delight of the fans.

Origin

Inherited from Middle English hitten (“to hit, strike, make contact with”), from Old English hittan (“to meet with, come upon, fall in with”), from Old Norse hitta (“to strike, meet”), from Proto-Germanic *hittijaną (“to come upon, find”), from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂eyd- (“to fall; fall upon; hit; cut; hew”). Cognate with West Frisian hitte (“to meet”), Dutch hitten (“to hit, encounter”), Danish hitte (“to find”), Faroese, Icelandic, Swedish hitta (“to meet”), Norwegian Nynorsk hitta, hitte (“to meet; to find”), Latin caedō (“to kill”), Albanian qit (“to hit, throw, pull out, release”). Probably also related to Dutch hei (“mallet”), German Heie (“wooden hammer, mallet”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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