# hoe

> English word · Noun · IPA /həʊ/ · frequency rank #20,954

## Definitions
1. Any of various tools for scraping, scratching, digging, or stirring soil or other materials.
2. Any of various tools for scraping, scratching, digging, or stirring soil or other materials.

## Etymology
From Middle English howe, from Anglo-Norman houe, from Frankish *hauwā, derivative of Frankish *hauwan (“to hew”), from Proto-Germanic *hawwaną. More at hew.

## Easily confused with
- **HR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hr)
- **HP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hp)
- **HQ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hq)
- **Hu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hu)
- **hv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hv)
- **how** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-how)
- **hot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hot)
- **hop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hop)
- **huh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-huh)
- **hug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hug)
- **hub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hub)
- **hon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hon)
- **hut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hut)
- **hum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hum)
- **hog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hog)
- **hue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hue)
- **hoo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hoo)
- **hun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hun)
- **HUD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hud)
- **hwy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-hwy)

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