What does hip mean?
Hip is most commonly used as an informal adjective meaning fashionable, stylish, or in tune with current trends. It can describe clothing, music, art, people, or attitudes, and often carries the implication of being current without being overly conventional: someone might describe a musician as genuinely hip rather than merely popular. The word also names the joint at the side of the body where the leg joins the pelvis, a meaning that is formal and widely understood. In the expressions 'hip to' and 'hip on,' it can indicate awareness of or enthusiasm for something. As a noun, 'the hip' may also refer to a prevailing fashion or cultural style. An informal verb meaning 'inject a drug into the hip' exists as well, though it is much less common. Overall, hip is useful because it moves easily between literal anatomy and figurative ideas of style, awareness, and cultural awareness.
Fashionable, stylish, or in keeping with current trends.
"The band was known for its hip sound and unconventional style."
Informal; often implies awareness of current fashion or culture.
The joint at the side of the body where the leg joins the pelvis; also, less commonly, a prevailing fashion or style.
"He put his weight on one hip while waiting for the train."
The anatomical sense is general English. The fashion sense is often informal and can be somewhat dated.
To inject a drug into someone's hip.
"The user was warned not to hip the substance without medical supervision."
Informal and specialized; often used in discussions of drug injection.
The plural is used when referring to the hip joints of a person or animal, or to the paired parts of the body generally.
"The dancer's hips moved smoothly with the music."
From the joint that lets us swivel to a byword for what is stylish, hip has made quite a leap.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hip come from?
The basic English word comes from Old English hīpe, meaning the haunch or hip, and it belongs to a Germanic family that includes German Hüfte, Dutch heup, and Scandinavian forms such as Danish hofte and Swedish höft. Its older bodily sense developed into the modern anatomical meaning. The fashion-related meanings are modern, and their precise origin is uncertain, although the word was being used for stylish or culturally fashionable people by the early twentieth century.
Related word forms
How hip is actually used
The fashionable sense is informal and often suggests awareness of current style or culture rather than simple popularity. The phrase 'hip to' is also informal and can mean informed about or interested in a particular subject. The medical meaning is neutral, while the verb meaning 'inject into the hip' is informal.
Easily confused with hip
Hip commonly means fashionable, whereas hep means aware, informed, or up to date, as in 'being hep to the latest developments.'