hippie

American  

[hip-ee] / ˈhɪp i /

Or hippy

noun

1. a person, especially of the late 1960s, who rejected established institutions and values and sought spontaneity, direct personal relations expressing love, and expanded consciousness, often expressed externally in the wearing of casual, folksy clothing and of beads, headbands, used garments, etc.

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hippie British  

/ ˈhɪpɪ /

noun

1. a variant spelling of hippy 1

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Etymology

Origin of hippie

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55; hip ⁴ + -ie

Compare meaning

How does hippie compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• beatnik vs. hippie

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hippie

“We were as hippie-ish as hippie could be, while still being responsible.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Christine Devin, who arrived in 1974 after travelling overland on the hippie trail from Paris, remembers digging wells, irrigating the land and everyone pitching in to build houses and communal buildings like the solar kitchen.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

Whiteman has always been culturally engaged, his father was a jazz musician, but in his youth some team-mates would call him a "hippie".

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026

Yet it retains a hippie vibe, with no stop lights and bumper stickers bearing slogans like “Crazy is still better than corporate.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026

“Yeah, but you said he was a white hippie before, ” Peewee said.

From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers

Related Words

• bohemian
• flower child
• free spirit