Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day – "Hark Back"

Date: December 24, 2025
Host: Peter Sokolowski

Overview

This episode explores the verb "hark back," its meanings, origins, usage, and related forms. Host Peter Sokolowski explains how this phrase has evolved from literal hunting commands to figurative expressions about returning to previous times or topics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Definition & Modern Usage

• Meaning:

  • "Hark back" is a verb that means to turn back to an earlier topic or circumstance, or to return to something as an origin or source.
  • Example: A storyteller harking back to his youth or a style that harks back to the turn of the previous century.

• Sample Sentence:

  • At [00:34], Peter shares:

    "The single harks back to Chenier's heyday, when his music was produced on 45s and put into jukeboxes, says Maureen Laufren."

Etymology & Historical Roots

• Origin of "Hark":

  • "Hark" itself is a very old word meaning "to listen."
  • Historically used in hunting as a cry.

    "The master of the hunt might cry 'hark forward' or 'hark back.' The cries became set phrases, both as nouns and verbs." — Peter Sokolowski [00:48]

• Literal to Figurative Shift:

  • "A hark back was a retracing of a route by dogs and hunters, and to hark back was to turn back along the path."
  • Over time, the hunting usage transformed into today’s figurative meanings: referencing or returning to something from the past.

Notable Variants

• Synonyms & Related Words:
  • "Harken" (also spelled "hearken"), is an old word meaning "to listen."
  • "Harken back" and "hearken back" are used as synonyms for "hark back."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Peter Sokolowski on Usage:

  "Harking back can be about turning back to an earlier topic or circumstance, as in a storyteller harking back to his youth. Or it can be about going back to something as an origin or source, as in a style that harks back to the turn of the previous century." [00:09]

• On Historical Usage:

  "The master of the hunt might cry hark forward or hark back. The cries became set phrases, both as nouns and verbs. Thus a hark back was a retracing of a route by dogs and hunters, and to hark back was to turn back along the path." [00:43­–01:06]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:00] — Episode intro and word of the day announcement: "hark back"
• [00:09] — Definition and common uses explained
• [00:34] — Usage example from the Smithsonian
• [00:43] — Etymology: hunting origins and original meanings
• [01:06] — How the word developed figuratively
• [01:17] — Notes on variants: "harken" and its usage

Tone and Language

The episode maintains an inviting, educational tone, with Peter Sokolowski delivering precise definitions and vivid historical context in straightforward, accessible language.

Summary:
This episode of Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day demystifies “hark back,” tracing its journey from hunting calls to a modern verb evoking the past. Listeners not only learn what the phrase means and how to use it, but also enjoy a quick trip through its rich etymological history.