Hun

[ huhn ]

noun

1. a member of a nomadic and warlike Asian people who devastated or controlled large parts of eastern and central Europe and who exercised their greatest power under Attila in the 5th century a.d.
2. (often lowercase) a barbarous, destructive person; vandal.
3. Older Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a German, especially a German soldier in World War I or II.

Hun

/ hʌn /

noun

1. a member of any of several Asiatic nomadic peoples speaking Mongoloid or Turkic languages who dominated much of Asia and E Europe from before 300 bc , invading the Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries a.d
2. informal.
   (esp in World War I) a derogatory name for a German
3. informal.
   a vandal

Sensitive Note

The disparaging and offensive use of this term likens the Germans to the barbarous and warlike Huns of the 4th and 5th centuries. The source of the comparison was a speech by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1900, encouraging German soldiers bound for China to act toward the Chinese just like “the Huns a thousand years ago.”

Derived Forms

• ˈHunˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• Hunlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hun¹

before 900; 1895–1900 Hun fordef 3; singular of Huns, Old English Hūnas; cognate with Old Norse Hūnar; akin to Late Latin Hunnī

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hun¹

Old English Hūnas, from Late Latin Hūnī, from Turkish Hun-yū

Example Sentences

“It’s a little confusing, but everyone’s pointing the finger,” resident and founder of the nonprofit Friends of the Jungle Lucy Hun told KABC-TV about beach management.

From Los Angeles Times

Garbage, campfires, hypodermic needles and feces litter the beach, Hun said.

From Los Angeles Times

The visit was Austin’s first visit to Cambodia since Hun Manet became prime minister last year, succeeding his father Hun Sen, who held office for 38 years.

From Seattle Times

Austin met his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Seiha, and Prime Minister Hun Manet during a one-day visit to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

From Seattle Times

The handover has led to speculation of a reset in U.S.-Cambodia relations, though so far Hun Manet has maintained his father’s policies.

From Seattle Times