Haint
In Southern and Appalachian speech, a "haint" is a ghost, spirit, or restless soul. The word shows up in old-time stories, superstitions, and even house paint traditions meant to ward them off.
synonyms: ghost, spirit, spook, apparition
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I always think of the lyric 'ain't no haint gonna run me off,' but that's not a belief I hold. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I always think of the lyric 'ain't no haint gonna run me off,' but that's not a belief I hold. Pronunciation
[HAYNT] /heɪnt/
Meaning & Usage
- Ghost or restless spirit (noun)
Clara:
Don’t be out past midnight - them haints roam after dark.
Don’t be out past midnight - them haints roam after dark.variations: ha’nt
Origin and Etymology
From an older pronunciation of "haunt," meaning a spirit that lingers. The form "haint" is especially tied to Southern and Appalachian dialects, surviving in folklore and superstition.
Usage Notes
- Haint is most common in ghost stories and folk beliefs across the South and Appalachia.
- In the Lowcountry, porches were painted "haint blue" to keep spirits away - a tradition with African and Caribbean roots that blended into Southern folklore.
- Do not confuse this with haint as a rural pronunciation of ain’t; that is a different usage entirely.