Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hiccup

/ˈhɪkʌp/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.91 in modern English

Syllables: hic-cup
IPA: /ˈhɪkʌp/

15

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound.

noun

A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound.

noun

Any spasm or sudden change.

noun

A minor obstacle or setback.

Informal

verb

To produce a hiccup; have the hiccups.

Intransitive verb

verb

To say with a hiccup.

Transitive verb

verb

To produce an abortive sound like a hiccup.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"There was a loud hiccup from the back of the room and the class erupted in laughter."
"Albert didn't notice the switch, the subliminal flash and hiccup in time as the man he had been talking to only seconds before was catapulted backwards half an hour."
"There's been a slight hiccup in the processing of this quarter's results."
""I haven't touched a drop, officer," the suspect hiccupped."
"The car engine hiccupped but wouldn't start."

Etymology

From earlier hickop, alteration of earlier hicket, hyckock, from hic (onomatopoeic) + -ock (diminutive suffix). Akin to Scots hick, hix (“hiccup”), West Frisian hik (“hiccup”), Dutch hik (“hiccup”), Middle Low German hükup, huckup, hueckup (modern Low German hick (“hiccup”)), German hicksen (“to hiccup”, verb), Alemannic German Hidsgi (“hiccup”), Danish hikke (“hiccup”), Swedish hicka (“hiccup”), hicka (“to hiccup”, verb), Icelandic hiksti (“hiccup”). Displaced yex, from Middle English yexen, ȝisken, ȝixen, ȝoxen (“to hiccup”), from Old English ġiscian, ġeocsian (“to hiccup”).

Usage

Inflected Forms

hiccups (plural) hiccough (alternative, dated) hickup (alternative, archaic) hiccups (present, singular) hiccuping (participle, present) hiccupping (participle, present) hiccuped (participle, past) hiccuped (past) hiccupped (participle, past) hiccupped (past)

Derived Forms

hiccuper hiccuplike hiccupy

Frequently Paired Words

hiccups

Synonyms

hang-up hiccough singultus

Homonyms

hiccough

Rhymes With

hiccough

Questions

How do you pronounce hiccup?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈhɪkʌp/.
What does hiccup mean?: A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound.
Where does hiccup come from?: From earlier hickop, alteration of earlier hicket, hyckock, from hic (onomatopoeic) + -ock (diminutive suffix). Akin to Scots hick, hix (“hiccup”), West Frisian hik (“hiccup”), Dutch hik (“hiccup”), Middle Low German hükup, huckup, hueckup (modern Low German hick (“hiccup”)), German hicksen (“to hiccup”, verb), Alemannic German Hidsgi (“hiccup”), Danish hikke (“hiccup”), Swedish hicka (“hiccup”), hicka (“to hiccup”, verb), Icelandic hiksti (“hiccup”). Displaced yex, from Middle English yexen, ȝisken, ȝixen, ȝoxen (“to hiccup”), from Old English ġiscian, ġeocsian (“to hiccup”).

How to pronounce hiccup

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hiccup”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈhɪkʌp/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “hiccup”.
Repeat and practice — Say “hiccup” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.