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hack·ney

(hăknē)

n. pl. hack·neys

1. often Hackney A horse of a breed developed in England, having a gait characterized by pronounced flexion of the knee.

2. A trotting horse suited for routine riding or driving; a hack.

3. A coach or carriage for hire.

tr.v. hack·neyed, hack·ney·ing, hack·neys

1. To cause to become banal and trite through overuse.

2. To hire out; let.

adj.

1. Banal; trite.

2. Having been hired.

[Middle English hakenei, probably after Hakenei, Hackney, a borough of London, England, where such horses were raised.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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