# high

> English word · Adjective · IPA /haɪ/ · frequency rank #172

## Definitions
1. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level:
2. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level:
3. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level:
4. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level:
5. Having a specified elevation or height; tall.
6. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character.
7. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character.
8. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character.
9. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character.
10. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character.
11. Extreme, excessive; now specifically very traditionalist and conservative.
12. Elevated in mood; marked by great merriment, excitement, etc.
13. Luxurious; rich.
14. Lofty, often to the point of arrogant, haughty, boastful, proud.
15. Keen, enthused.
16. With tall waves.
17. Remote (to the north or south) from the equator; situated at (or constituting) a latitude which is expressed by a large number.
18. Large, great (in amount or quantity, value, force, energy, etc).
19. Large, great (in amount or quantity, value, force, energy, etc).
20. Acute or shrill in pitch, due to being of greater frequency, i.e. produced by more rapid vibrations (wave oscillations).
21. Made with some part of the tongue positioned high in the mouth, relatively close to the palate.
22. Greater in value than other cards, denominations, suits, etc.
23. Greater in value than other cards, denominations, suits, etc.
24. Strong-scented; slightly tainted/spoiled; beginning to decompose.
25. Intoxicated; under the influence of a mood-altering drug, formerly usually alcohol, but now (from the mid-20th century) usually not alcohol but rather marijuana, cocaine, heroin, etc.
26. Near, in its direction of travel, to the (direction of the) wind.
27. Positioned up the field, towards the opposing team's goal.

## Etymology
From Middle English high, heigh, heih, from Old English hēah (“high, tall, lofty, high-class, exalted, sublime, illustrious, important, proud, haughty, deep, right”), from Proto-West Germanic *hauh (“high”), from Proto-Germanic *hauhaz (“high”), from Proto-Indo-European *kewk- (“to bend; crooked”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots heich (“high”), Yola heegh, heigh, heighe, hia, hie (“high”), North Frisian hoog, huuch (“high”), Saterland Frisian hooch, hoog (“high”), West Frisian heech (“high”), Alemannic German hooch (“high”), Central Franconian huh (“high”), Cimbrian hoach, hòach (“high”), Dutch hoog, hooge (“high”), German hoch (“high”), German Low German hooch (“high”), Limburgish hoeg (“high”), Luxembourgish héich (“high”), Mòcheno heach (“high”), Vilamovian huch (“high”), Yiddish הויך (hoykh, “high”), Danish høj (“high”), Faroese háur, høgur (“high”), Gutnish haugar (“high”), Icelandic hár (“high”), Norwegian Bokmål høg, høy (“high”), Norwegian Nynorsk høg, håg, hå (“high”), Swedish hög (“high”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍃 (hauhs, “high”), Vandalic *oas (“high”), Old French haut (“high”) (from Old High German hoh (“high”)); also with Ancient Greek Καύκᾰσος (Kaúkăsos, “Caucasus”), Latvian koks (“tree”), Lithuanian kúoka (“stick with thick end, pounder, pestle”), Bulgarian ку́ка (kúka, “hook”), Albanian çukë (“peak, summit, top”).

## Easily confused with
- **his** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-his)
- **him** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-him)
- **hit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hit)
- **hip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hip)
- **huh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-huh)
- **HIV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hiv)
- **hug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hug)
- **hog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hog)
- **hoh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hoh)
- **hin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hin)
- **huge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-huge)
- **hill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hill)
- **hits** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hits)
- **hire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hire)
- **hint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hint)
- **Hugh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hugh)
- **hike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hike)
- **hips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hips)
- **Hugo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hugo)
- **hugs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/high-vs-hugs)

## Common misspellings (6)
`hgih`, `hhigh`, `higgh`, `highh`, `hihg`, `ihgh`

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