hecto-
American-
a combining form meaning “hundred,” used in the formation of compound words.
hectograph; hectogram.
prefix
-
h. denoting 100
hectogram
Usage
What does hecto- mean? Hecto- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “hundred.” It is occasionally used in technical terms, especially in measurements.Hecto- comes from the Greek hekatón, meaning “hundred,” which is distantly related both to English hundred and Latin centum, “hundred.” Find out more at our entries for cent and hundred.What are variants of hecto-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, hecto- becomes hect-, as in hectare, which uses the equivalent form in French.In some rare instances, hecto- and hect- are spelled with a -k-, becoming hekto- and hekt-.
Etymology
Origin of hecto-
< French, combining form representing Greek hekatón hundred
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.