Etymograph

English

hem

A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)

The story

A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)

Another origin of hem

  1. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hamjaną‘to press’reconstructed
  2. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hammjan‘to press, pinch’reconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150hem‘hem, border’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  5. Englishtodaysame form

The verb is from Middle English hemmen, from Old English hemman, from Proto-Germanic *hamjaną, or alternatively derived from the noun.disputed Scholars disagree here; the competing view is quoted as the source gives it.

Today it means

intj Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / hem

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