What does "hip-hop" mean?
An African-American urban youth culture based on rap music, breakdancing etc.
Hip-hop
/ˈhɪp.hɒp/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An African-American urban youth culture based on rap music, breakdancing etc.
- Grammar: hip-hop is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: rap, rap music.
- Usage evidence: Who's your favorite hip-hop artist?
How to use "hip-hop"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hip-hop" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hip-hop" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hip-hop" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hip-hop" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hip-hop" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "rap" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "hip-hop", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An African-American urban youth culture based on rap music, breakdancing etc. uncountable
"2007, James McBide, Hip-Hop Planet, National Geographic (April 2007), 106, "...not knowning as they strolled through the doors of the community center near Bambaataa's mother's apartment that they were writing musical history. Among them was an MC named Lovebug Starski, who was said to utter the phrase 'hip-hop' between breaks in time.""
- 2 genre of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment; several forms of rap have emerged wordnet
- 3 A form of popular and dance music featuring strong percussion and a powerful rhythm, usually accompanied by rapping. uncountable
"Even though Houston’s moment was already fading by the late 2000s, the city’s hip-hop culture proved to be endlessly portable and disseminatable."
- 4 an urban youth culture associated with rap music and the fashions of African-American residents of the inner city wordnet
Verb
- 1 To move by hopping or with a hopping motion. informal, intransitive, transitive
"Placing the hoops in this position makes skirts hip hop with a swirl."
- 2 To perform hip-hop music. informal, intransitive, transitive
"I'm not entirely sure who in WCW felt like a bunch of hip-hopping rappers would get cheered in a company based mainly in the south (especially with a country band stable on the other side), but everything's a good idea in theory."
Synonyms
All synonyms raprap music
Example
"Who's your favorite hip-hop artist?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hip-hop"?
Common synonyms include: rap, rap music.
How do you use "hip-hop" in a sentence?
Who's your favorite hip-hop artist?
How do you pronounce "hip-hop"?
Pronounced /ˈhɪp.hɒp/.
Etymology
Reduplication of hop.