hr-a frequent consonant combination in OE.[:—OTeut.hr-:—Aryan kr-]. In initial hr-, the h was lost in the transition to ME., in which and in modern Eng. the words begin with R: e.g.OE.hræfn, hréod, hring, hróf, hrung, hrycg, now raven, reed, ring, roof, rung, ridge.