What does "hypo" mean?
Melancholy; a fit of hypochondria; a morbid depression.
Hypo
/ˈhaɪ.poʊ/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Melancholy; a fit of hypochondria; a morbid depression.
- Grammar: hypo is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: hypodermic syringe, assumption, conjecture, developer.
- Useful contrasts: evidence, fact, oral administration.
- Usage evidence: 1711 "I have a better Stomach tha usuall and have perfectly forgot what the Hyppo means",Joseph Collett, merchant, writing from Rio de Janeiro, Oct 15, 1711, in his Private Letter Books, edited by H. H. Dodwell in 1933. (cited by Eric Partidge, A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventinoal English
How to use "hypo"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hypo" 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 "hypo" 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 "hypo" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hypo" 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 "hypo" 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 "hypodermic syringe" 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 "hypo", 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 Melancholy; a fit of hypochondria; a morbid depression. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"1711 "I have a better Stomach tha usuall and have perfectly forgot what the Hyppo means",Joseph Collett, merchant, writing from Rio de Janeiro, Oct 15, 1711, in his Private Letter Books, edited by H. H. Dodwell in 1933. (cited by Eric Partidge, A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventinoal English"
- 2 a piston syringe that is fitted with a hypodermic needle for giving injections wordnet
- 3 A hypochondriac. countable, slang, uncountable
"Certainly no one can accuse a bunch of hypos of lying dormant during the noon-hour. The activity, inside and out, is simply terrific. To us, personally, by far the most interesting group of hypochondriacs in attendance at this particular emporium […]"
- 4 a compound used as a fixing agent in photographic developing wordnet
- 5 Sodium thiosulfate (also called hyposulfite of soda), a photographic fixing agent. countable, informal, uncountable
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A hypoglycaemia attack in a person with diabetes. countable, slang, uncountable
- 7 A hypodermic syringe or injection. countable, slang, uncountable
- 8 Hypothecation. British, countable, slang, uncountable
- 9 A hypothetical case. countable, informal, uncountable
- 10 A hypomelanistic snake. countable, informal, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To have a hypoglycaemia attack. intransitive, slang
"My top lip tingles, and I'm clearly hypoing but I don't know what my sugar level is, it was 9.8 when I went to bed, which is fine. I've hypoed a lot lately."
- 2 To administer a hypodermic injection to. transitive
"Bacterium and virus count—as usual. Lots of it. Apparently not too dangerous. Not with every single soul hypoed and immunized and hormoned to his eyebrows."
- 3 To stimulate or boost, as if by administering a hypodermic injection. (Compare hype.) figuratively, transitive
"Stations across the country hypoed the Beatle excitement with offers of fan club cards, free records. Beatle contests of all sorts, and a continual push on the Capitol, Swan, Vee Jay and MGM releases by the group."
- 4 To stimulate or boost (the economy) by the injection of cash, such as with quantitative easing transitive
"In the last three peacetime years before the Vietnam War expenditures began to hypo the economy, 1961, 1962, and 1963, unemployment in those years averaged six percent."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"1711 "I have a better Stomach tha usuall and have perfectly forgot what the Hyppo means",Joseph Collett, merchant, writing from Rio de Janeiro, Oct 15, 1711, in his Private Letter Books, edited by H. H. Dodwell in 1933. (cited by Eric Partidge, A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventinoal English"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hypo"?
Common synonyms include: hypodermic syringe, assumption, conjecture, developer, fixer, hypodermic.
How do you use "hypo" in a sentence?
1711 "I have a better Stomach tha usuall and have perfectly forgot what the Hyppo means",Joseph Collett, merchant, writing from Rio de Janeiro, Oct 15, 1711, in his Private Letter Books, edited by H. H. Dodwell in 1933. (cited by Eric Partidge, A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventinoal English
How do you pronounce "hypo"?
Pronounced /ˈhaɪ.poʊ/.
Etymology
Clipping of various terms beginning with hypo-, from Ancient Greek ὑπό (hupó, “under”).