means a slight or indirect indication meant to suggest something without stating it outright.

from From the older English 'hent,' meaning to seize or grasp — related to the verb 'hent' (to take hold of), itself from Old English 'hentan,' to seize or pursue. The thread runs from physically catching something to mentally catching on: a hint is the little thing you reach out and grab the meaning of. The sense narrowed over time from 'an occasion seized' to 'a quiet clue dropped for someone to pick up.'