hip

hip · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱewb-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*hupiz
3. Old English · inherited fromhype
4. Middle English · inherited fromhipe
5. English todayhip

From Middle English hipe, hupe, from Old English hype, from Proto-Germanic *hupiz (compare Dutch heup, Low German Huop, German Hüfte), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- (compare Welsh cysgu (“to sleep”), Latin cubāre (“to lie”), Ancient Greek κύβος (kúbos, “hollow in the hips”), Albanian sup (“shoulder”), Sanskrit शुप्ति (śúpti, “shoulder”)), from *ḱew- (“to bend”). More at high. The sense "drug addict" derives from addicts lying on their hips while using certain drugs such as opium.

hip · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱewb-“briar, thorn”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*heupǭ
3. Old English · inherited fromhēope
4. Middle English · inherited fromhepe
5. English todayhip

From Middle English hepe, heppe, hipe, from Old English hēope, from Proto-Germanic *heupǭ (compare Dutch joop, German Hiefe, Faroese hjúpa), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- (“briar, thorn”) (compare Old Prussian kaāubri (“thorn”), Lithuanian kaubrė̃ (“heap”)).

hip · adjective, verb³

1. Wolof · borrowed fromhepi“to see”
2. English todayhip

Unknown or disputed. Probably a variant of hep; both forms are attested from the first decade of the 20th century. Some sources suggest derivation from Wolof hepi (“to see”) or hipi (“to open one’s eyes”). Others suggest connection to the noun, as opium smokers were said to lie on a hip. Neither of these suggestions is widely accepted, however.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from early 20th c., popularized in 1960s Aware, informed, up-to-date, trendy.