# hoot

> English word · Noun · IPA /huːt/ · frequency rank #29,311

## Definitions
1. A derisive cry or shout.
2. The cry of an owl.
3. A fun event or person.
4. A small particle; a whit or jot.

## Etymology
From Middle English houten, huten, hoten, of North Germanic origin, from or related to Old Swedish huta (“to cast out in contempt”), related to Middle High German hiuzen, hūzen (“to call to pursuit”), Swedish hut! (“begone!”, interjection), Dutch hui (“ho, hallo”), Danish huj (“ho, hallo”).

## Easily confused with
- **how** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-how)
- **hot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hot)
- **hop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hop)
- **hut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hut)
- **Hou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hou)
- **hoy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hoy)
- **hos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hos)
- **HRT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hrt)
- **hor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hor)
- **HOV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hov)
- **hope** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hope)
- **hour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hour)
- **hurt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hurt)
- **host** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-host)
- **hunt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hunt)
- **horn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-horn)
- **hose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hose)
- **Howe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-howe)
- **howl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-howl)
- **hove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoot-vs-hove)

## Common misspellings (4)
`hhoot`, `hoott`, `hoto`, `ohot`

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