hip
Hip (noun) means the joint and surrounding area where the leg meets the pelvis. Example: “She broke her hip in the fall and needed surgery.”
How to use hip
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe body part between your waist and thigh, or informally, something cool and fashionable.
The "fashionable" sense is casual/informal, popular from the mid-20th century onward.
Word forms
hipper comparative, hipped past tense, hipped past tense, hips plural, hips plural, hips singular, hips singular, hippest superlative
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She broke her _____ in the fall and needed surgery.
Etymology
From Old English hype, from Proto-Germanic *hupiz.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for hip
See all rhymes for hip →Frequently asked questions
What does “hip” mean?
The word “hip” means the joint and surrounding area where the leg meets the pelvis. In plain terms, the body part between your waist and thigh, or informally, something cool and fashionable.
How do you pronounce “hip”?
“Hip” is pronounced hihp (/hɪp/ in IPA).
How do you use “hip” in a sentence?
Here is “hip” used in a sentence: “She broke her hip in the fall and needed surgery.”
What part of speech is “hip”?
Depending on how it is used, “hip” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “hip” come from?
The word “hip” comes from Old English. From Old English hype, from Proto-Germanic *hupiz.
Is “hip” a common word?
“Hip” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “hip” have?
“Hip” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the joint and surrounding area where the leg meets the pelvis.
Where is the hip located?
The hip is found where the top of the thigh bone meets the pelvis, on either side of the body below the waist. It includes the ball-and-socket joint itself plus the surrounding muscles and soft tissue, forming the area you rest your hand on when standing.
What type of joint is the hip?
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, one of the most mobile in the body. The rounded head of the thigh bone fits into a cup-shaped socket in the pelvis, allowing the leg to move forward, backward, sideways, and to rotate, while still bearing the body's weight.
Can a hip be replaced?
Yes. Hip replacement is a common and well-established operation in which a damaged or worn joint, often caused by arthritis or a fracture, is replaced with an artificial one made of metal, ceramic, or plastic. It typically relieves pain and restores much of the joint's natural movement.
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