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

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

Not in my favor: I cannot abide hippie culture, bristle at the slightest whiff of woo woo and balk reflexively at the phrase “loving kindness,” which immediately calls to mind the worst person I know.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026

“The high desert has a fascinating blend of hippie and libertarian sensibilities,” he wrote in an email.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

Elsewhere in the documentary, narrated by Kate Winslet, he is described as a "bit of a hippie".

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

A funny little round man in hippie clothes with a mind like a steel trap.

From "Lawn Boy Returns" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• bohemian
• flower child
• free spirit