high-five

American  

[hahy-fahyv] / ˈhaɪˈfaɪv /

Or high five

noun

1. a gesture of congratulation, solidarity, or greeting in which one person slaps the upraised palm of the hand against that of another.

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verb (used with object)

1. to congratulate, express solidarity with, or greet (a person) with a high-five.

   I'm such a couch potato that I'd love to high-five the genius who invented remote controls.

verb (used without object)

1. to exchange high-fives.

   After pulling out a win, the players noisily high-fived before leaving the court.

high-five British  

noun

1. a gesture of greeting or congratulation in which two people slap raised right palms together

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verb

1. to greet or congratulate (a person) in this way

Etymology

Origin of high-five

First recorded in 1975–80 ( five in reference to the five fingers of the hand)

Example Sentences

While those extremes are unlikely to repeat—buyers should expect mortgage to remain in the high-five or low 6% range for now as a result of Thursday’s announcement—the risk of rising prices remains.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

Before it was opened on 29 November, Mayor Andrea Biancani posted a doctored image of Pavarotti's statue playing ice hockey with the hashtag #DaiUnCinqueAPavarotti, which translates to "Give a high-five to Pavarotti".

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2025

Hudler sprinted off the field, ignoring teammates wanting to high-five him in the dugout for saving two runs, and into the visiting clubhouse, where he stashed the ball in his locker for safekeeping.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2025

He is going to pose for selfies and high-five anyone who asks.

From Salon • Jun. 24, 2025

I reach into my pocket and pull out a couple of the high-five stickers.

From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner

Related Words

• accost
• acknowledge
• address
• approach
• attend
• embrace
• hail
• meet
• receive
• salute
• shake hands
• stop