Commonly Confused Words: Hoard vs. Horde

blog home

What does each word mean?

A hoard is a secret store of valuables or money. As a verb, the word refers to the act of gathering or saving supplies for future use.

Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word.

Here is hoard used in some example sentences:

  • While cleaning out his late mother’s house, he found a hoard of old coins.
  • Some animals hoard food for the winter.

Click here to find the Spellzone study lists related to the word hoard.

The word horde refers to a large group of moving people like a crowd or a nomadic community.

Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word.

Here is horde used in an example sentence:

  • She pushed through the hordes as she raced to reach the bus stop on time.
  • At the end of the match, hordes of fans rushed onto the pitch.

Click here to create a Spellzone study list including the word horde.

Where does each word come from?

Hoard comes from the Old English ‘hotd’ meaning ‘a treasure, valuable stock or store’.

Horde dates back to the 1550s and was borrowed into English from West Turkic via Polish, French, or Spanish. The word described a ‘tribe of Asiatic nomads living in tents’. Horde has been used as a verb since the 1820s.

Are there any tricks to help remember the difference between hoard and horde?

Horde and order have four of the same letters in them. Come up with a sentence using both words to help you remember what horde means. For example: She pushed through the horde in order to find her friend.

 

What words do you constantly mix up? Let us know and we’ll cover them in our Commonly Confused Words series.

Sources: The Online Etymology Dictionary.


08 Aug 2018
blog home

Try Spellzone for free

Recent Blogs

How to Recognise and Overcome Tricky Spelling Patterns With Clarity and Confidence
How to Teach Spelling with Minimal Stress: Simple Techniques for Busy Teachers
Spelling for Mindfulness: How Slowing Down Can Help You Focus and Learn
Spelling Slip-Ups: Everyday Words People Often Get Wrong (and Clever Ways to Get Them Right)
Jamie Oliver’s Dyslexia Revolution: Why Schools Must Do More Than Just Listen
Embedding Spelling Practice Across All Subjects in Primary Schools: Supporting Literacy Beyond English Lessons
How to Teach Spelling to Reluctant Learners: Engaging and Low-Stress Methods
Why English Spelling Is So Hard And What You Can Do About It
Spelling Tricks for Words That Don’t Sound How They’re Spelled
From Spelling to Pronunciation: Why English Words Don’t Always Sound How They Look
How Spelling Tests Can Be a Positive Learning Opportunity: Encouraging a Healthy Relationship with Assessments
Why Some Words Have Double Letters: Spelling Rules and Tips
Why Spelling Rules Matter: How Patterns Simplify Learning
Spellzone Earns High Praise in Independent Pedagogical Quality Report
Spelling Through Visualisation: Using Imagery to Remember Words
How Reading Improves Spelling: The Power of Context
Tricky English Spelling Patterns: How to Teach Common Letter Combinations
How to Create Effective Spelling Word Lists for Students: A Guide for Educators
Understanding Root Words: Unlocking the Meaning of Complex Words
Navigating the World of Hyphenated Words in English

One of the students has put in a huge amount of effort in completing Spellzone at least 3 times a week since his arrival with us in January. Looking at his scores after the latest GL testing, his standardised score has risen from 99 to 131. This is a truly phenomenal result. I just wanted to share the best result I have ever seen.

Terrie Penrose-Toms, Casterton College

read more...