Hepcat
/ˈhɛp.kæt/noun
A person, especially a jazz enthusiast, regarded as hip, sophisticated, or knowledgeable about current culture.
Did you know?In 1930s jazz slang, “hepcat” marked insider status: knowing the right music and language could signal membership in a subculture outsiders were not meant to understand.
Etymological Timeline
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
American English
hep
“A slang form meaning informed, aware, or knowledgeable, later associated especially with jazz culture.”
Early 20th Century
American English
cat
“A slang term for a person, particularly a jazz musician or jazz enthusiast; its use drew on the ordinary word for the animal.”
1920s
American English
hep cat
“A jazz-world expression for a person who was knowledgeable, stylish, and connected to the scene.”
1930s
American English
hepcat
“A person regarded as hip or as an insider in modern popular culture, especially jazz.”
Modern English
English
hepcat
“A dated or historical term for a hip, stylish person, especially one associated with jazz.”