Hex

[heks] /hɛks/

verb (used with object)
1.
to bewitch; practice witchcraft on:
He was accused of hexing his neighbors’ cows because they suddenly stopped giving milk.
noun
2.
spell; charm:
With all this rain, somebody must have put a hex on our picnic.
3.
a witch.
[heks] /hɛks/
adjective, Informal.
1.
hexagonal:
a bolt with a matching washer and hex nut.
2.
(def 1).
1.
.
2.
.
1.
a combining form meaning “six,” used in the formation of compound words:
hexapartite.
/hɛks/
noun
1.

/hɛks/
verb
1.
(transitive) to bewitch
noun
2.
an evil spell or symbol of bad luck
3.
a witch
combining form
1.
six: hexachord, hexameter
v.

1830, American English, from Pennsylvania German hexe “to practice witchcraft,” from German hexen “to hex,” related to Hexe “witch,” from Middle High German hecse, hexse, from Old High German hagazussa (see hag). Noun meaning “magic spell” is first recorded 1909; earlier it meant “a witch” (1856).

before vowels, hex-, word-forming element meaning “six,” from Greek hexa-, comb. form of hex “six” (see six).

hexa- or hex-
pref.

noun

A jinx or curse; the Indian Sign, Whammy: I lose every time, must be a hex on me

[1909+; ultimately fr German Hexe, ”witch”]

1. hexadecimal.
2. A 6-pack of anything (compare quad). Neither usage has anything to do with magic or black art, though the pun is appreciated and occasionally used by hackers. True story: As a joke, some hackers once offered some surplus ICs for sale to be worn as protective amulets against hostile magic. The chips were, of course, hex inverters.
3. The hash character, used to introduce hexadecimal constants in some assembly languages.
[Jargon File]
(1995-03-06)
1.
hexagon
2.
hexagonal