HACK

Meaning

To chop or cut down in a rough manner.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *keg-, *keng-der. Proto-Germanic *hakkōną Proto-West Germanic *hakkōn Old English *haccian Middle English hakken English hack From Middle English hacken, hakken, from Old English *haccian (“to hack”), from Proto-West Germanic *hakkōn, from Proto-Germanic *hakkōną (“to chop; hoe; hew”), from Proto-Indo-European *keg-, *keng- (“to be sharp; peg; hook; handle”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian häkje (“to hack”), West Frisian hakje (“to hack”), Dutch hakken (“to chop up; hack”), German hacken (“to chop; hack; hoe”), Danish hakke (“to chop”), Swedish hacka (“to hack; chop”), French hacher (“to chop”). Related to hatch. The computer senses date back to at least 1955 when it initially referred to creative problem solving. By 1963, the negative connotations of “black hat” or malicious hacking had become associated with telephone hacking (cf. phreaking).

Synonyms & Antonyms

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 7 recorded puzzles:

• 2026-09-11KACDEHI
• 2026-04-06HAPECKY
• 2025-12-02CLAKEDH
• 2025-05-15HTAMECK
• 2024-09-13HAIDCEK
• 2024-08-02HYAKNCE
• 2023-11-10KACDEHL