hiccup

American  

[hik-uhp, -uhp] / ˈhɪk ʌp, -əp /

Or hic-cough

noun

hiccups plural

1. a quick, involuntary inhalation that follows a spasm of the diaphragm and is suddenly checked by closure of the glottis, producing a short, relatively sharp sound.

2. Usually hiccups. the condition of having such spasms.

   She got the hiccups just as she began to speak.

3. Informal. a minor difficulty, interruption, setback, etc..

   a hiccup in the stock market.

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verb (used without object)

hiccuped, hiccupped, hiccuping, hiccupping

1. to make the sound of a hiccup.

   The motor hiccuped as it started.

2. to have the hiccups.

3. Informal. to experience a temporary decline, setback, interruption, etc..

   There was general alarm when the economy hiccuped.

hiccup British  

/ ˈhɪkʌp /

noun

1. Technical name: singultus.  a spasm of the diaphragm producing a sudden breathing in followed by a closing of the glottis, resulting in a sharp sound

2. the state or condition of having such spasms

3. informal a minor difficulty or problem

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verb

1. (intr) to make a hiccup or hiccups

2. (tr) to utter with a hiccup or hiccups

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hiccups
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hiccup

1570–80; alteration of hocket, hickock, equivalent to hic + -ock; akin to Low German hick hiccup; see hocket

Explanation

A hiccup is a jerky, repeated contraction in your diaphragm — it's a sort of involuntary tic you can feel in your throat and chest. People who have hiccups usually make a "hic" sound. Hiccups are a kind of spasm that can be brief or linger frustratingly. One man famously suffered from hiccups for 68 years — for that whole time, not a single folk remedy (doing a headstand, drinking water fast, being scared by someone, and so on) worked to relieve them. The word hiccup is imitative of the sound of hiccups. An Old English word for it was ælfsogoða, "elf heartburn," since hiccups were thought to be caused by elves.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hiccup hiccups hiccuped hiccuping hiccupped hiccupping

“It’s just kind of a hiccup along the way to what’s been a pretty long AI infrastructure spending cycle that’s likely to continue,” said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist at State Street Investment Management.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

In the case of AST, the launch hiccup delays the realization of its billion-dollar sales backlog.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

"If we do have a hiccup here and there that is also good to learn from."

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

But whether the chip industry is dealing with a minor hiccup or a big problem is still up in the air.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026

A tiny hiccup works its way up my throat.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

The primary goals of this 13th test launch were to once again demonstrate those redesigns in flight, this time without any hiccups.

From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026

What 250 years means: It means that we’ve seen a lot of changes… progress with a lot of hiccups.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

Getting rid of the physical disc also facilitates distribution by reducing supply-chain hiccups and the possibility of a premature leak.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026

Faricy said Slate has been built to survive independently of factors such as EV tax credits and to absorb hiccups in the supply chain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

She held her breath, as though trying to halt an attack of hiccups.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

The pangrams from yesterday’s Spelling Bee were hiccuped and hiccupped.

From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2023

One man, the late Charles Osborne of Iowa, reportedly hiccuped for 68 years straight.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 14, 2021

Even as Europe, particularly Greece, has struggled, the U.S. market has barely hiccuped.

From US News ● Nov. 6, 2015

But when Wilder's routine hiccuped regularly in the 1960s, he lost that explosive snap in his barbed approach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2015

Judy hiccuped as she tried not to laugh.

From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine

The 15-time major winner, 50, can be seen co-operating with authorities and then hiccuping while he is being driven away in the back of the police car.

From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026

Within seconds, I’m crying, sweating and hiccuping — simultaneously.”

From Washington Post ● Mar. 3, 2022

The hiccuping ultimately "escalated to…a good deal of hiccup-induced puking," he said.

From Fox News ● Dec. 11, 2021

Others, though, would work on exams with hiccuping computers, at uncomfortable tables with other children or adults making noise nearby.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 27, 2021

Then he went on sobbing and hiccuping and hugging his blanket while Imogene stalked off and the whole big crowd of kids grumbled at Louella as if it was her fault.

From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson

He has performed well statistically this year, converting 7 of 8 field goals, but hiccupped in big moments.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 8, 2021

"The smallest things upset me. The other day I jumped when a woman in the street hiccupped as she walked past me."

From Fox News ● Dec. 5, 2019

Just as notable is the fact that Future Brown sought out women like Shawnna, 3D Na’Tee, and Maluca, whose careers have hiccupped, often through little fault of their own.

From The New Yorker ● Mar. 23, 2015

He had been staggering when he was admitted in early October, and he had hiccupped for days, a sign strongly associated with death from Ebola at the center.

From New York Times ● Nov. 9, 2014

Screamed and hiccupped and laughed like my sisters.

From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Or a friend might send me another sweet video of her newborn hiccupping.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 30, 2021

“I still write too many of her patented hiccupping, chicken-bone sentences,” said the L.A.-based writer and founder of Boyle Heights’ Libros Schmibros.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2021

His hiccupping went on for hours, and finally ended late that afternoon when their car broke down on the way to their honeymoon destination.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 24, 2021

Lincoln was hiccupping a lot in the third trimester.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2021

The rain begins again, tapping against the window like an intruder or a warning, and finally, at the very peak of the room’s growing hum, a child begins hiccupping.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle