hp

¹ American  

abbreviation

1. horsepower.

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H.P. ² American  

Or h.p.,

abbreviation

1. Electricity. high power.

2. high pressure.

3. horsepower.

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HP British  

abbreviation

1. hire-purchase

2. horsepower

3. high pressure

4. (in Britain) Houses of Parliament

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Compare meaning

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

• bhp vs. hp

Example Sentences

Starting at $183,400, the bewinged ZR1 adds twin turbos to the 5.5-liter V8, netting a deeply unsettling 1,064 hp.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

These can add up to 38 hp of electric boost on their own, as well as recover energy from engine braking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

Horsepower equals grinding power and ranges from ⅓ to one hp.

From Washington Post • Feb. 14, 2023

That’s a full second quicker than the Escalade, which comes with a 6.2-liter V8 with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft.

From Seattle Times • May 25, 2022

Davos sat beside his candle and looked at the letters hp had scratched out word by word during the days of his confinement.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin