What does hippier mean?
“Hippier” is the comparative form of the informal adjective “hippy,” meaning more hippy or more associated with countercultural tastes and attitudes. It is typically used to compare people, clothing, music, places, or styles, as in “They looked hipper in handmade clothes.” The word carries a playful, nostalgic tone, often evoking the fashion, music, and social ideals associated with 1960s hippie culture. Although “hippy” can still describe someone who rejects conventional lifestyles, “hippier” is often more humorous than analytical and may be used to exaggerate a comparison. It is informal, somewhat dated, and especially common in British and American English, though its use is not geographically restricted.
adjectiveThe comparative form of hippy: more hippy in style, attitude, or outlook. It is informal and is usually used in comparisons involving people, behaviour, fashions, or tastes.
- More hippy; more characteristically associated with hippie culture, values, fashion, or attitudes.
"With her vintage clothes and unconventional attitude, she seemed hipper than most of the festival crowd."
"His music is far hipper than the mainstream pop released that year."
"She felt hipper in the vintage market than in the usual shopping district."
“Hippier” turns a cultural label into a playful comparison: the most hippy wins.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of hippier
The word belongs to the “hip” family of expressions associated with 1960s counterculture. “Hippie” developed as an informal term for a person associated with unconventional or alternative lifestyles, and “hippier” is simply its comparative form. The older word “hip,” meaning fashionable, alert, or aware, is also related and helped establish the word’s sense of cultural awareness and nonconformity.
Related word forms
How hippier is actually used
Informal and somewhat dated. It is commonly used in casual comparisons and may sound teasing, nostalgic, or deliberately exaggerated rather than neutral.
Easily confused with hippier
“Hippier” is the comparative form of “hippy,” while “hippy” names the person or quality itself.