fist bump

American

noun

Informal.

a gesture of greeting, friendship, triumph, etc., in which two people make a fist and bump each other's knuckles.

Other Word Forms

fist-bump verb

Etymology

Origin of fist bump

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Raleigh may be displaying intensity, but the idea that a gentle fist bump of a current MLB teammate is treason is a special brand of absurd.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

If you’ve caught yourself muttering Carlton Fisk wouldn’t have given anyone a fist bump, then Raleigh’s snub probably makes your cold heart flutter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

Daniel Dubois refused a fist bump from world champion Fabio Wardley as the pair came face-to-face at a lively news conference in London.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

As the officers left without an apology, one offered a fist bump.

From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025

“Oh, Junie, you understand some Korean! So impressive,” Uncle Paul says as he gives me a fist bump across Grandpa’s bed.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023