English Explanatory Dictionary

hip hip hooray

English dictionary entry

Meanings

intj
  1. An exclamation of congratulations or celebration, especially in response to a call for three cheers for the person.

Word forms

hip hip hooray hip hip hoorah hip hip hurrah hip hooray

Etymology

Recorded as far back as 1803. The word hip was in use then as a meaningless syllable to solicit someone's attention. Hooray (or hurrah) traces back to 1686, and also had no specific meaning, used instead to solicit a person's attention. A folk etymology for this interjection suggests it comes from the anti-Semitic German Hep-Hep riots in 1819, however many examples of Hip Hip exist in English prior to 1819, for example: * 1813, Edmond Temple, The Life of Pill Garlick, London, page 243: The first toast “Success to Pill Garlick lick and his saucy crew,” was drank with nine times nine, hip! hip! hip! and a hoorra! The tumult was excessive.

Related words

three cheers
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