hippy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, slightly dated but historically significant. Can be neutral, descriptive, or slightly pejorative depending on context.
Quick answer
What does “hippy” mean?
A person, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, who rejects conventional social values, often advocating peace, love, and simple living.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, who rejects conventional social values, often advocating peace, love, and simple living; associated with long hair, casual clothes, and often the use of psychedelic drugs.
More broadly, a person with a similar lifestyle or attitude in any era, emphasizing environmentalism, non-materialism, and alternative spirituality. Can also describe anything characteristic of such a person or their style (e.g., hippy clothes).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'hippy' is the standard UK spelling for the counterculture adherent. In US, 'hippie' is more common, though 'hippy' is also used. The US spelling 'hippie' helps distinguish from the adjective meaning 'having large hips.'
Connotations
Largely identical. In both varieties, it can carry nostalgic, descriptive, or dismissive connotations.
Frequency
The term is less frequent in contemporary active use, appearing more in historical or cultural discussions. The US spelling 'hippie' is more frequent in global pop culture references.
Grammar
How to Use “hippy” in a Sentence
[Adj] hippy[N] hippyhippy of the [era/period]hippy from [place]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hippy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A (not standard as a verb)
American English
- N/A (not standard as a verb)
adverb
British English
- N/A (not standard as an adverb)
American English
- N/A (not standard as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- She has a very hippy wardrobe, full of flowing skirts and beads.
- The festival had a distinctly hippy atmosphere.
American English
- His hippie ideals never really faded.
- They live in a sort of hippie commune in Oregon.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in marketing/history (e.g., 'the hippy aesthetic influenced 60s advertising').
Academic
Used in historical, sociological, or cultural studies contexts to describe the 1960s-70s movement.
Everyday
Used to describe someone's past, style, or perceived outdated attitudes. 'My uncle was a hippy in the 70s.'
Technical
Not a technical term in most fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hippy”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hippy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hippy”
- Confusing 'hippy' (counterculture) with 'hippy' (having large hips). Using 'hippy' to describe modern environmental activists without the specific 60s countercultural link might be inaccurate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are accepted. 'Hippie' is more common in American English and helps avoid confusion with the adjective 'hippy' (having large hips). 'Hippy' is standard in British English for the counterculture meaning.
It can be used descriptively if they adopt a similar lifestyle, but it's primarily a historical term. Terms like 'bohemian', 'free spirit', or 'alternative' might be more accurate for contemporary contexts.
Hippies are associated with the 1960s-70s counterculture, peace, love, and psychedelia. Hipsters are a 21st-century subculture focused on indie music, ironic appreciation, artisanal goods, and specific fashion aesthetics. They share non-mainstream attitudes but are distinct movements.
No. While it originated and was most prominent in the United States, similar movements and subcultures emerged worldwide, notably in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
A person, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, who rejects conventional social values, often advocating peace, love, and simple living.
Hippy is usually informal, slightly dated but historically significant. can be neutral, descriptive, or slightly pejorative depending on context. in register.
Hippy: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɪp.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɪp.i/ (for 'hippy'); /ˈhɪp.i/ (for 'hippie'). Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Trustafarian (pejorative, UK: a wealthy person affecting a hippy lifestyle)”
- “turn on, tune in, drop out (Timothy Leary's phrase associated with hippies)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of HIPPY with HIPPIE vibes: both start with HIP, and hippies were into peace (PEACE also has P).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE ESTABLISHMENT IS A PRISON / SOCIETY IS A MACHINE (from which the hippy seeks to escape or reject).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is most closely associated with the classic 'hippy' stereotype?