hip

¹ American  

[hip] / hɪp /

noun

1. the projecting part of each side of the body formed by the side of the pelvis and the upper part of the femur and the flesh covering them; haunch.

2. hip joint.

3. Architecture. the inclined projecting angle formed by the junction of a sloping side and a sloping end, or of two adjacent sloping sides, of a roof.

4. Furniture. knee.

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adjective

1. (especially of a garment) extending to the hips; hiplength.

   hip boots.

verb (used with object)

hipped, hipping

1. (especially of livestock) to injure or dislocate the hip of.

2. Architecture. to form (a roof ) with a hip or hips.

idioms

1. shoot from the hip, to speak or act bluntly or rashly, without deliberation or prudence.

   Diplomats are trained to conduct themselves with discretion, and not to shoot from the hip.

2. smite hip and thigh, to attack unmercifully; overcome.

hip ² American  

[hip] / hɪp /

noun

1. the ripe fruit of a rose, especially of a wild rose.

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hip ³ American  

[hip] / hɪp /

interjection

1. (used as a cheer or in signaling for cheers).

   Hip, hip, hurrah!

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hip ⁴ American  

[hip] / hɪp /

adjective

hipper, hippest

1. familiar with or informed about the latest ideas, styles, developments, etc..

   My parents aren't exactly hip, you know.

2. considered aware of or attuned to what is expected, especially with a casual or knowing air; cool.

   The guy was not at all hip—a total nerd.

3. in agreement or willing to cooperate; going along.

   We explained our whole plan, and she was hip.

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noun

1. Also hipness the condition or state of being hip.

2. a hippie or beatnik; hipster.

verb (used with object)

hipped, hipping

1. to make or keep aware or informed.

HIP ⁵ American  

[eych-ahy-pee, hip] / ˈeɪtʃˈaɪˈpi, hɪp /

1. Health Insurance Plan.

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hip ¹ British  

/ hɪp /

noun

1. (often plural) either side of the body below the waist and above the thigh, overlying the lateral part of the pelvis and its articulation with the thighbones

2. another name for pelvis

3. short for hip joint

4. the angle formed where two sloping sides of a roof meet or where a sloping side meets a sloping end

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hip ² British  

/ hɪp /

adjective

1. aware of or following the latest trends in music, ideas, fashion, etc

2. informed (about)

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HIP ³ British  

/ hɪp /

acronym

1. (in England and Wales) home information pack: a set of documents that a seller must possess before his or her property can be put on the market

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hip ⁴ British  

/ hɪp /

noun

1. Also called: rosehip.  the berry-like brightly coloured fruit of a rose plant: a swollen receptacle, rich in vitamin C, containing several small hairy achenes

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hip ⁵ British  

/ hɪp /

interjection

1. an exclamation used to introduce cheers (in the phrase hip, hip, hurrah )

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hip More Idioms  

1. see shoot from the hip.

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Other Word Forms

• hipless adjective
• hiplike adjective
• hiply adverb

Etymology

Origin of hip¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English hipe, hupe, Old English hype; cognate with Old High German huf ( German Hüfte “hip”), Gothic hups “hip, loin”; compare Greek kýbos “cube, die; the hollow above the hips (of cattle),” Latin cubitus “elbow” ( cubit ); cube ¹

Origin of hip²

First recorded before 900; Middle English hepe, Old English hēope “hip, briar”; cognate with Old High German hiufo “bramble”

Origin of hip³

First recorded in 1745–55; origin uncertain

Origin of hip⁴

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; of uncertain origin; hep and hip are recorded at similar dates and are similar in meaning, but the relationship between the two words is unclear

Explanation

Your hip is the area of your body at the top and side of your thigh, beside your pelvis. You might have a habit of closing the refrigerator door by bumping it with your hip. Your hips are the flesh between your waist and upper leg, and they're also the bones that make up the complex joints there — the ones that make it possible for your legs to move so you can walk. When a person is described as hip, it means they're trendy or cool, up on the latest thing. These two meanings are unrelated, with the "cool" meaning coming from the slang hep, popular with jazz musicians around 1915.

Example Sentences

Billy Idol, chanteuse Sade, metal legends Iron Maiden and Manchester outfits Joy Division and New Order were also honored, along with hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan and velvet-voiced crooner Luther Vandross.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Holmes, originally from Northern Ireland, has previously spoken about various health issues, including spinal surgery, a double hip replacement, and his struggles walking and using a mobility scooter.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

“It’s in both the city’s and the organizing committee’s best interest to have a successful Games. We’re joined at the hip and we’ll succeed together, or not.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

And as he approached his 40s, he also began lifting his front heel on his backswing to help with hip rotation and add even more power—a trick he borrowed straight from Nicklaus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

One had a fifth leg hanging uselessly from its hip, and another had no ears, just a pair of holes.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• chic
• contemporary
• cool
• hot
• modern
• new
• smart
• sophisticated
• trendy