# harry

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈhæɹ.i/ · frequency rank #1,943

## Definitions
1. To plunder, pillage, assault.
2. To make repeated attacks on an enemy.
3. To strip, lay waste, ravage.
4. To harass, bother or distress with demands, threats, or criticism.

## Etymology
From Middle English herien, harien, from Old English herġian, from Proto-West Germanic *harjōn, from Proto-Germanic *harjōną, from *harjaz (“army”), from Proto-Indo-European *koryos, from *ker- (“army”).
Cognates
See also Walloon hairyî, Old French hairier, harier; also Saterland Frisian ferheerje, German verheeren (“to harry, devastate”), Swedish härja (“ravage, harry”); also Old English here, West Frisian hear, Dutch heer, German Heer); also Middle Irish cuire (“army”), Lithuanian kãrias (“army; war”), Old Church Slavonic кара (kara, “strife”), Ancient Greek κοίρανος (koíranos, “chief, commander”), Old Persian [script needed] (kāra, “army”)). More at here (“army”).

## Easily confused with
- **hay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hay)
- **hart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hart)
- **Herr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-herr)
- **hazy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hazy)
- **henry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-henry)
- **harsh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-harsh)
- **hurry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hurry)
- **horny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-horny)
- **hasty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hasty)
- **Havre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-havre)
- **Harvey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-harvey)
- **hearty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hearty)
- **hurray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harry-vs-hurray)
- **har** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/har-vs-harry)
- **hard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hard-vs-harry)
- **hair** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hair-vs-harry)
- **harm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harm-vs-harry)
- **hare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hare-vs-harry)
- **harp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harp-vs-harry)
- **Hara** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hara-vs-harry)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ahrry`, `harryy`, `hary`, `haryr`, `hharry`, `hrary`

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