hem
/hɛm/interjection, noun, verb
hem is spelled H-E-M: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,209th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an interjection, hem means “Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in hem?
| Letters | 3: H-E-M |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.7 times per million words; the 21,209th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is hem?
Hem appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,209th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce hem?
- /hɛm/
- /hɪm/
Hem has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-hem.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with hem?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as hem.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: meh, ehm.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of hem
- hems plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- hemming participle, present
- hemmed participle, past
- haem-
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does hem mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
interjection
- 1
Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.
noun
- 1
An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.
his morning hems
- 2
The border of an article of clothing doubled back and stitched together to finish the edge and prevent it from fraying.
- 3
A rim or margin of something.
- 4
In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.
verb
- 1
To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking.
- 2
To make a hem.
- 3
To put hem on an article of clothing, to edge or put a border on something.
- 4
To shut in, enclose, confine; to surround something or someone in a confining way.
A small yard hemmed about by a tall hedge.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Hem in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | ourlet , marge , ourler |
| German | Saum , Rand , säumen , einengen |
| Portuguese | bainha , cercar , embainhar, bainhar, chulear |
| Spanish | dobladillo, bastilla, hilván, repulgo , repulgar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does hem come from?
A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).