Haet

/heɪt/ noun

Definition

A Scottish word meaning a small amount or a whit; a tiny bit of something.

Etymology

From Old Norse 'hvatki' (anything), modified through Scottish dialect evolution. Related to English 'what' and reflects Norse influence on Scottish language.

Kelly Says

Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, used 'haet' in his poems—'I dinna care a haet' meant 'I don't care a whit,' and these old Scottish words gave his poetry a distinctive voice that still feels authentic 250 years later.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.