What does hippest mean?
Hippest is the superlative of hip and means the most fashionable, stylish, or culturally current thing at a given time. It is especially common in informal speech about clothing, music, venues, celebrities, and other features of contemporary youth culture. The expression often suggests more than simple popularity: something described as the hippest is presented as especially stylish, fashionable, or ahead of its time. Its evaluation is temporary and subjective, so a word that is described as the hippest today may seem dated later. The word can also be used humorously or ironically, especially when the speaker is imitating trends or exaggerating something’s fashionable status. Because it is informal and trend-sensitive, it is more natural in conversation and promotional or social-media language than in formal writing.
adjectiveThe hippest thing, person, or place is the most fashionable, stylish, or admired according to current trends. The word is informal and often implies that something is not merely current but exceptionally trendy or culturally cool.
- Most fashionable, stylish, trendy, or culturally admired at a particular time.
"The small gallery has become the hippest venue in the city for new music."
"She wore the hippest outfit to the premiere."
"That little restaurant is supposed to be the hippest spot in town."
Calling something the hippest is a way of declaring that it belongs to the moment—though the judgment may age faster than the thing it praises.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hippest come from?
Hippest is the superlative form of the informal adjective hip, meaning fashionable or stylish. The expression developed in twentieth-century English, especially through the language of music and youth culture, and became widely established in the late twentieth century. It shares its root with related words such as hip, hipness, hippie, and hipster.
Related word forms
How hippest is actually used
Informal and strongly associated with youth culture, fashion, music, and social trends. It can be sincere or ironic, and its meaning depends heavily on the speaker’s social circle and sense of style.