hain't
Haven't or hasn't, and sometimes just ain't.
Also called haint.
Updated September 24, 2026
hain't pronunciation
/HAYNT/
Meaning
Mountain and rural Southern speech for "have not" or "has not." You hear it in lines like "I hain't got time" or "he hain't been by." In some talk it also stands in for ain't, covering am not, is not, or are not. Same neighborhood as ain't, just with an h on the front.
How folks use it
- “I hain't seen that dog since yesterday morning.”
- “We hain't got enough gas to make it to town.”
Origin and etymology
Started as a contraction of have not / has not (older form han't), then picked up an h in dialect speech. DARE puts it chiefly in the Northeast, South, and South Midland, especially the Appalachians. Older mountain writing and speech also use it where standard English wants ain't.
Frequently asked questions
Is hain't the same as a haint?
No. Hain't (with the apostrophe) is a verb form meaning haven't or hasn't. A haint is a ghost. They sound alike, but they are not the same word.