Hate — definition, etymology, and first known use
States the remodeled-noun position.
Noun etymology: probably derivative of haten, replacing hete- AUTHOR / EDITOR
- Merriam-Webster Editors
- YEAR
- 2026
- PUBLISHER
- Merriam-Webster
PERMANENT DISPUTE RECORD
ALL DISPUTES ↗One scholarly question. Every attached source. The present editorial state, without pretending the last word has been written.
The inherited noun is part of the history, but the immediate path is disputed. American Heritage presents Middle English hate from Old English hete; Merriam-Webster says the Middle English noun was probably derived from haten and replaced hete.
/ˈheɪtrɪd/ · noun
A Middle English formation built from hate plus the fossilized native condition suffix -rede / -reden, with a secure Germanic hate family but a semantically difficult and explicitly disputed deeper Indo-European proposal.
DIRECT CLAIM EVIDENCE
A citation is not a vote. Each record says whether the work supports, challenges, contradicts, or contextualizes the position—and identifies the exact locus used.
States the remodeled-noun position.
Noun etymology: probably derivative of haten, replacing heteStates the direct-continuation position.
Etymology: noun from Old English heteThe reviewed evidence does not yet warrant collapsing the competing or incomplete analyses into one secure answer.