# harness

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhɑː.nəs/ · frequency rank #11,715

## Definitions
1. A restraint or support, especially one consisting of a loop or network of rope or straps, and especially one worn by a working animal such as a horse pulling a carriage or farm implement.
2. A collection of wires or cables bundled and routed according to their function: a wiring harness.
3. The complete dress, especially in a military sense, of a man or a horse; armour in general.
4. The part of a loom comprising the heddles, with their means of support and motion, by which the threads of the warp are alternately raised and depressed for the passage of the shuttle.
5. Equipment for any kind of labour.

## Etymology
From Middle English harneys, harnes, harneis, harnais, herneis, from Anglo-Norman harneis and Old French hernois (“equipment used in battle”), believed to be from Old Norse *hernest, from herr (“army”) + nest (“provisions”) (from Proto-Germanic *nesaną (“to heal, recover”)). More at harry.

## Easily confused with
- **harvest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harness-vs-harvest)
- **hotness** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harness-vs-hotness)
- **harnesses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harness-vs-harnesses)
- **harshness** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harness-vs-harshness)
- **hares** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hares-vs-harness)
- **harass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harass-vs-harness)
- **Haines** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/haines-vs-harness)
- **hardest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hardest-vs-harness)
- **hapless** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hapless-vs-harness)
- **harmless** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harmless-vs-harness)
- **hardness** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hardness-vs-harness)
- **hairless** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hairless-vs-harness)
- **Harkness** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harkness-vs-harness)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ahrness`, `hanress`, `harenss`, `harnes`, `harnness`, `harnses`, `harrness`, `hharness`, `hraness`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/harness