diff --git a/rc/asciidoc.kak b/rc/asciidoc.kak
index 4a9becfc..7dbc6863 100644
--- a/rc/asciidoc.kak
+++ b/rc/asciidoc.kak
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 hook global BufCreate .*\.asciidoc %{ set buffer filetype asciidoc }
 
-defhl asciidoc
-addhl -def-group asciidoc regex (\A|\n\n)[^\n]+\n={2,}\h*\n\h*$ 0:blue
-addhl -def-group asciidoc regex (\A|\n\n)[^\n]+\n-{2,}\h*\n\h*$ 0:cyan
-addhl -def-group asciidoc regex ^\h+([-\*])\h+[^\n]*(\n\h+[^-\*]\S+[^\n]*)*$ 0:yellow 1:cyan
-addhl -def-group asciidoc regex ^([-=~]+)\n[^\n\h].*?\n\1$ 0:magenta
-addhl -def-group asciidoc regex (?<!\w)\+[^\n]+?\+(?!\w) 0:green
-addhl -def-group asciidoc regex (?<!\w)_[^\n]+?_(?!\w) 0:yellow
-addhl -def-group asciidoc regex (?<!\w)\*[^\n]+?\*(?!\w) 0:red
+addhl -group / group asciidoc
+addhl -group /asciidoc regex (\A|\n\n)[^\n]+\n={2,}\h*\n\h*$ 0:blue
+addhl -group /asciidoc regex (\A|\n\n)[^\n]+\n-{2,}\h*\n\h*$ 0:cyan
+addhl -group /asciidoc regex ^\h+([-\*])\h+[^\n]*(\n\h+[^-\*]\S+[^\n]*)*$ 0:yellow 1:cyan
+addhl -group /asciidoc regex ^([-=~]+)\n[^\n\h].*?\n\1$ 0:magenta
+addhl -group /asciidoc regex (?<!\w)\+[^\n]+?\+(?!\w) 0:green
+addhl -group /asciidoc regex (?<!\w)_[^\n]+?_(?!\w) 0:yellow
+addhl -group /asciidoc regex (?<!\w)\*[^\n]+?\*(?!\w) 0:red
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=asciidoc %{ addhl ref asciidoc }
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!asciidoc).* %{ rmhl asciidoc }
diff --git a/rc/cpp.kak b/rc/cpp.kak
index bd6651f8..dc09c838 100644
--- a/rc/cpp.kak
+++ b/rc/cpp.kak
@@ -39,22 +39,19 @@ def -hidden _cpp_indent_on_closing_curly_brace %[
     try %[ exec -draft "hm<space><a-?>(class|struct)<ret><a-k>\`(class|struct)[^{}\n]+(\n)?\s*\{\'<ret><a-space>ma;<esc>" ]
 ]
 
-defhl cpp
-
-addhl -def-group cpp multi_region -default code root \
+addhl -group / multi_region -default code cpp \
     string %{(?<!')"} %{(?<!\\)(\\\\)*"} '' \
-    comment /\* \*/ ''
+    comment /\* \*/ '' \
+    comment // $ ''
 
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/string fill string
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/comment fill comment
+addhl -group /cpp/string fill string
+addhl -group /cpp/comment fill comment
 
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/code regex "\<(this|true|false|NULL|nullptr|)\>|\<-?\d+[fdiu]?|'((\\.)?|[^'\\])'" 0:value
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/code regex "\<(void|int|char|unsigned|float|bool|size_t)\>" 0:type
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/code regex "\<(while|for|if|else|do|switch|case|default|goto|break|continue|return|using|try|catch|throw|new|delete|and|or|not|operator|explicit)\>" 0:keyword
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/code regex "\<(const|mutable|auto|namespace|inline|static|volatile|class|struct|enum|union|public|protected|private|template|typedef|virtual|friend|extern|typename|override|final)\>" 0:attribute
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/code regex "^\h*?#.*?(?<!\\)$" 0:macro
-
-addhl -def-group cpp/root/code regex "(//[^\n]*\n)" 0:comment
+addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(this|true|false|NULL|nullptr|)\>|\<-?\d+[fdiu]?|'((\\.)?|[^'\\])'" 0:value
+addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(void|int|char|unsigned|float|bool|size_t)\>" 0:type
+addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(while|for|if|else|do|switch|case|default|goto|break|continue|return|using|try|catch|throw|new|delete|and|or|not|operator|explicit)\>" 0:keyword
+addhl -group /cpp/code regex "\<(const|mutable|auto|namespace|inline|static|volatile|class|struct|enum|union|public|protected|private|template|typedef|virtual|friend|extern|typename|override|final)\>" 0:attribute
+addhl -group /cpp/code regex "^\h*?#.*?(?<!\\)$" 0:macro
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=cpp %[
     addhl ref cpp
diff --git a/rc/grep.kak b/rc/grep.kak
index 728dce76..18247bb2 100644
--- a/rc/grep.kak
+++ b/rc/grep.kak
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ def -shell-params -file-completion \
 }}
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=grep %{
-    addhl group grep-highlight
-    addhl -group grep-highlight regex "^([^:]+):(\d+):(\d+)?" 1:cyan 2:green 3:green
+    addhl group grep
+    addhl -group grep regex "^([^:]+):(\d+):(\d+)?" 1:cyan 2:green 3:green
     hook buffer -id grep-hooks NormalKey <c-m> jump
 }
 
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!grep).* %{ rmhl grep-highlight; rmhooks buffer grep-hooks }
+hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!grep).* %{ rmhl grep; rmhooks buffer grep-hooks }
 
 decl str jumpclient
 
diff --git a/rc/kakrc.kak b/rc/kakrc.kak
index 3e95c5ad..fdfd86a3 100644
--- a/rc/kakrc.kak
+++ b/rc/kakrc.kak
@@ -2,23 +2,22 @@ hook global BufCreate (.*/)?(kakrc|.*.kak) %{
     set buffer filetype kak
 }
 
-defhl kakrc
-addhl -def-group kakrc multi_region -default kakrc root \
-    comment (^|\h)\K\# \n '' \
+addhl -group / multi_region -default code kakrc \
+    comment (^|\h)\K\# $ '' \
     double_string %{(^|\h)"} %{(?<!\\)(\\\\)*"} '' \
     single_string %{(^|\h)'} %{(?<!\\)(\\\\)*'} '' \
     shell '%sh\{' '\}' '\{'
 
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/kakrc regex \<(hook|rmhooks|defhl|addhl|rmhl|add|exec|eval|source|runtime|def|decl|echo|edit|set)\> 0:keyword
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/kakrc regex \<(default|black|red|green|yellow|blue|magenta|cyan|white)\> 0:value
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/kakrc regex (?<=\<hook)\h+((global|buffer|window)|(\S+))\h+(\S+)\h+(\H+) 2:attribute 3:error 4:identifier 5:string
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/kakrc regex (?<=\<set)\h+((global|buffer|window)|(\S+))\h+(\S+)\h+(\S+) 2:attribute 3:error 4:identifier 5:value
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/kakrc regex (?<=\<regex)\h+(\S+) 1:string
+addhl -group /kakrc/code regex \<(hook|rmhooks|addhl|rmhl|add|exec|eval|source|runtime|def|decl|echo|edit|set)\> 0:keyword
+addhl -group /kakrc/code regex \<(default|black|red|green|yellow|blue|magenta|cyan|white)\> 0:value
+addhl -group /kakrc/code regex (?<=\<hook)\h+((global|buffer|window)|(\S+))\h+(\S+)\h+(\H+) 2:attribute 3:error 4:identifier 5:string
+addhl -group /kakrc/code regex (?<=\<set)\h+((global|buffer|window)|(\S+))\h+(\S+)\h+(\S+) 2:attribute 3:error 4:identifier 5:value
+addhl -group /kakrc/code regex (?<=\<regex)\h+(\S+) 1:string
 
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/double_string fill string
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/single_string fill string
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/comment fill comment
-addhl -def-group kakrc/root/shell ref sh
+addhl -group /kakrc/double_string fill string
+addhl -group /kakrc/single_string fill string
+addhl -group /kakrc/comment fill comment
+addhl -group /kakrc/shell ref sh
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=kak %{ addhl ref kakrc }
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!kak).* %{ rmhl kakrc }
diff --git a/rc/mail.kak b/rc/mail.kak
index fdb4b247..6316c4cb 100644
--- a/rc/mail.kak
+++ b/rc/mail.kak
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 hook global BufSetOption mimetype=message/rfc822 %{ set buffer filetype mail }
 
-defhl mail
-addhl -def-group mail regex ^(From|To|Cc|Bcc|Subject|Reply-To|In-Reply-To):([^\n]*(?:\n\h+[^\n]+)*)$ 1:keyword 2:attribute
-addhl -def-group mail regex <[^@>]+@.*?> 0:string
-addhl -def-group mail regex ^>.*?$ 0:comment
+addhl -group / group mail
+addhl -group /mail regex ^(From|To|Cc|Bcc|Subject|Reply-To|In-Reply-To):([^\n]*(?:\n\h+[^\n]+)*)$ 1:keyword 2:attribute
+addhl -group /mail regex <[^@>]+@.*?> 0:string
+addhl -group /mail regex ^>.*?$ 0:comment
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=mail %{ addhl ref mail }
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!mail).* %{ rmhl mail }
diff --git a/rc/make.kak b/rc/make.kak
index c020a4e0..98fb4aff 100644
--- a/rc/make.kak
+++ b/rc/make.kak
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ def -shell-params make %{ %sh{
            }"
 }}
 
-defhl make
-addhl -def-group make regex "^([^:\n]+):(\d+):(\d+):\h+(?:((?:fatal )?error)|(warning)|(note)|(required from(?: here)?))?.*?$" 1:cyan 2:green 3:green 4:red 5:yellow 6:blue 7:yellow
+addhl -group / group make
+addhl -group /make regex "^([^:\n]+):(\d+):(\d+):\h+(?:((?:fatal )?error)|(warning)|(note)|(required from(?: here)?))?.*?$" 1:cyan 2:green 3:green 4:red 5:yellow 6:blue 7:yellow
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=make %{
     addhl ref make
diff --git a/rc/sh.kak b/rc/sh.kak
index af3eb26d..412d3d33 100644
--- a/rc/sh.kak
+++ b/rc/sh.kak
@@ -6,14 +6,21 @@ hook global BufSetOption mimetype=text/x-shellscript %{
     set buffer filetype sh
 }
 
-defhl sh
-addhl -def-group sh regex \<(if|then|fi|while|for|do|done|case|esac|echo|cd|shift|return|exit|local)\> 0:keyword
-addhl -def-group sh regex [\[\]\(\)&|]{2} 0:operator
-addhl -def-group sh regex (\w+)= 1:identifier
-addhl -def-group sh regex ^\h*(\w+)\h*\(\) 1:identifier
-addhl -def-group sh regex "(^|\h)#.*?$" 0:comment
-addhl -def-group sh regex (["'])(?:\\\1|.)*?\1 0:string
-addhl -def-group sh regex \$(\w+|\{.+?\}) 0:identifier
+addhl -group / group sh
+addhl -group /sh regex \<(if|then|fi|while|for|do|done|case|esac|echo|cd|shift|return|exit|local)\> 0:keyword
+addhl -group /sh regex [\[\]\(\)&|]{2} 0:operator
+addhl -group /sh regex (\w+)= 1:identifier
+addhl -group /sh regex ^\h*(\w+)\h*\(\) 1:identifier
+addhl -group /sh regex "(^|\h)#.*?$" 0:comment
+#addhl -group /sh regex (["'])(?:\\\1|.)*?\1 0:string
+
+addhl -group /sh region double_string %{(^|\h)"} %{(?<!\\)(\\\\)*"}
+addhl -group /sh/double_string/content fill string
+
+addhl -group /sh region single_string %{(^|\h)'} %{(?<!\\)(\\\\)*'}
+addhl -group /sh/single_string/content fill string
+
+addhl -group /sh regex \$(\w+|\{.+?\}) 0:identifier
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=sh %{ addhl ref sh }
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!sh).* %{ rmhl sh }
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index 94b728a9..a1bc1188 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -350,20 +350,6 @@ const CommandDesc namebuf_cmd = {
     }
 };
 
-const CommandDesc define_highlighter_cmd = {
-    "defhl",
-    "dh",
-    "defhl <name>: define a new reusable highlighter",
-    single_name_param,
-    CommandFlags::None,
-    CommandCompleter{},
-    [](const ParametersParser& parser, Context& context)
-    {
-        const String& name = parser[0];
-        DefinedHighlighters::instance().append({name, HighlighterGroup{}});
-    }
-};
-
 template<typename GetRootGroup>
 CommandCompleter group_rm_completer(GetRootGroup get_root_group)
 {
@@ -401,12 +387,11 @@ HighlighterGroup& get_highlighters(const Context& c) { return c.window().highlig
 const CommandDesc add_highlighter_cmd = {
     "addhl",
     "ah",
-    "addhl <switches> <type> <type params>...: add an highlighter to current window",
+    "addhl <scope>/<group>/<id> <type> <type params>...: add an highlighter\n"
+    "<scope> can be shared or window",
     ParameterDesc{
-        SwitchMap{ { "group", { true, "add highlighter to named group" } },
-                   { "def-group", { true, "add highlighter to reusable defined group" } } },
-        ParameterDesc::Flags::SwitchesOnlyAtStart, 1
-    },
+        SwitchMap{ { "group", { true, "specify the group in which to put the highlighter" } } },
+        ParameterDesc::Flags::SwitchesOnlyAtStart, 1 },
     CommandFlags::None,
     group_add_completer<HighlighterRegistry>(get_highlighters),
     [](const ParametersParser& parser, Context& context)
@@ -414,26 +399,31 @@ const CommandDesc add_highlighter_cmd = {
         HighlighterRegistry& registry = HighlighterRegistry::instance();
 
         auto begin = parser.begin();
-        const String& name = *begin;
+        const String& name = *begin++;
         std::vector<String> highlighter_params;
-        for (++begin; begin != parser.end(); ++begin)
+        for (; begin != parser.end(); ++begin)
             highlighter_params.push_back(*begin);
 
-        if (parser.has_option("group") and parser.has_option("def-group"))
-            throw runtime_error("-group and -def-group cannot be specified together");
-
         HighlighterGroup* group = nullptr;
-
-        if (parser.has_option("def-group"))
-            group = &DefinedHighlighters::instance().get_group(parser.option_value("def-group"), '/');
-        else
+        if (parser.has_option("group"))
         {
-            HighlighterGroup& window_hl = context.window().highlighters();
-            group = parser.has_option("group") ?
-                    &window_hl.get_group(parser.option_value("group"), '/')
-                  : &window_hl;
-        }
+            StringView path = parser.option_value("group");
+            if (path.empty())
+                throw runtime_error("group param should not be empty");
 
+            if (path[0] == '/')
+            {
+                group = &DefinedHighlighters::instance();
+                path = path.substr(1_byte);
+            }
+            else
+                group = &context.window().highlighters();
+
+            if (not path.empty())
+                group = &group->get_group(path, '/');
+        }
+        else
+            group = &context.window().highlighters();
         group->append(registry[name](highlighter_params));
     }
 };
@@ -1333,7 +1323,6 @@ void register_commands()
     register_command(cm, delbuf_cmd);
     register_command(cm, force_delbuf_cmd);
     register_command(cm, namebuf_cmd);
-    register_command(cm, define_highlighter_cmd);
     register_command(cm, add_highlighter_cmd);
     register_command(cm, rm_highlighter_cmd);
     register_command(cm, add_hook_cmd);
diff --git a/src/highlighter_group.cc b/src/highlighter_group.cc
index 5f65cbdd..01bf090c 100644
--- a/src/highlighter_group.cc
+++ b/src/highlighter_group.cc
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-void HighlighterGroup::operator()(const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags, DisplayBuffer& display_buffer)
+void HighlighterGroup::operator()(const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags, DisplayBuffer& display_buffer) const
 {
     for (auto& hl : m_highlighters)
        hl.second(context, flags, display_buffer);
@@ -44,6 +44,23 @@ HighlighterGroup& HighlighterGroup::get_group(StringView path, Codepoint path_se
         throw group_not_found("not a group: "_str + id);
 }
 
+HighlighterFunc HighlighterGroup::get_highlighter(StringView path, Codepoint path_separator) const
+{
+    auto sep_it = std::find(path.begin(), path.end(), path_separator);
+    StringView id(path.begin(), sep_it);
+    auto it = m_highlighters.find(id);
+    if (it == m_highlighters.end())
+        throw group_not_found("no such id: "_str + id);
+    if (sep_it == path.end())
+        return HighlighterFunc{std::ref(it->second)};
+    else if (auto* group = it->second.target<HighlighterGroup>())
+        return group->get_highlighter({sep_it+1, path.end()}, path_separator);
+    else if (auto* hier_group = it->second.target<HierachicalHighlighter>())
+        return hier_group->get_highlighter({sep_it+1, path.end()}, path_separator);
+    else
+        throw group_not_found("not a group: "_str + id);
+}
+
 CandidateList HighlighterGroup::complete_id(StringView prefix, ByteCount cursor_pos) const
 {
     return m_highlighters.complete_id(prefix, cursor_pos);
@@ -70,4 +87,17 @@ HighlighterGroup& HierachicalHighlighter::get_group(StringView path, Codepoint p
         return it->second;
 }
 
+HighlighterFunc HierachicalHighlighter::get_highlighter(StringView path, Codepoint path_separator) const
+{
+    auto sep_it = std::find(path.begin(), path.end(), path_separator);
+    StringView id(path.begin(), sep_it);
+    auto it = m_groups.find(id);
+    if (it == m_groups.end())
+        throw group_not_found("no such id: "_str + id);
+    if (sep_it != path.end())
+        return it->second.get_highlighter(StringView(sep_it+1, path.end()), path_separator);
+    else
+        return HighlighterFunc(std::ref(it->second));
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/src/highlighter_group.hh b/src/highlighter_group.hh
index 14419b49..0b01d29b 100644
--- a/src/highlighter_group.hh
+++ b/src/highlighter_group.hh
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@ class HighlighterGroup
 public:
     void operator()(const Context& context,
                     HighlightFlags flags,
-                    DisplayBuffer& display_buffer);
+                    DisplayBuffer& display_buffer) const;
 
     void append(HighlighterAndId&& hl);
     void remove(StringView id);
 
     HighlighterGroup& get_group(StringView path, Codepoint path_separator = 0);
+    HighlighterFunc get_highlighter(StringView path, Codepoint path_separator = 0) const;
 
     CandidateList complete_id(StringView prefix, ByteCount cursor_pos) const;
     CandidateList complete_group_id(StringView prefix, ByteCount cursor_pos) const;
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     HighlighterGroup& get_group(StringView path, Codepoint path_separator = 0);
+    HighlighterFunc get_highlighter(StringView path, Codepoint path_separator = 0) const;
 
 protected:
     Callback m_callback;
diff --git a/src/highlighters.cc b/src/highlighters.cc
index 2bebd6a9..62630188 100644
--- a/src/highlighters.cc
+++ b/src/highlighters.cc
@@ -655,17 +655,17 @@ HighlighterAndId reference_factory(HighlighterParameters params)
     // throw if not found
     //DefinedHighlighters::instance().get_group(name, '/');
 
-    return HighlighterAndId(name,
-                            [name](const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags, DisplayBuffer& display_buffer)
-                            {
-                                try
-                                {
-                                    DefinedHighlighters::instance().get_group(name, '/')(context, flags, display_buffer);
-                                }
-                                catch (group_not_found&)
-                                {
-                                }
-                            });
+    return {name,
+            [name](const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags, DisplayBuffer& display_buffer)
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    DefinedHighlighters::instance().get_highlighter(name, '/')(context, flags, display_buffer);
+                }
+                catch (group_not_found&)
+                {
+                }
+            }};
 }
 
 namespace RegionHighlight