# hone

> English word · Noun · IPA /hoʊn/ · frequency rank #23,302

## Definitions
1. A sharpening stone composed of extra-fine grit used for removing the burr or curl from the blade of a razor or some other edge tool.
2. A machine tool used in the manufacture of precision bores.

## Etymology
From Middle English hon (“whetstone”), from Old English hān, from Proto-Germanic *hainō (compare Dutch heen, Norwegian hein), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeh₃i- (“to sharpen”) (compare Ancient Greek κῶνος (kônos, “cone”), Persian سان (sân, “whetstone”)).

## Easily confused with
- **how** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-how)
- **hot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hot)
- **hop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hop)
- **hue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hue)
- **hoo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hoo)
- **hun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hun)
- **hye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hye)
- **Hou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hou)
- **hoy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hoy)
- **hos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hos)
- **hse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hse)
- **hor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hor)
- **HOV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hov)
- **hope** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hope)
- **hour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hour)
- **huge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-huge)
- **host** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-host)
- **hong** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hong)
- **hunt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hunt)
- **hook** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hone-vs-hook)

## Common misspellings (5)
`hhone`, `hnoe`, `hoen`, `honne`, `ohne`

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