Hipness
/ˈhɪp.nəs/noun
The quality or state of being fashionable, culturally aware, or socially sophisticated.
Did you know?The slang sense of hip emerged in African American English, but its exact origin remains disputed; proposed connections include African languages and the older form “hep.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*-inass
“A suffix forming abstract nouns expressing a state or quality; the distant ancestor of English “-ness”.”
Old English
Old English
-nes
“A productive noun-forming suffix meaning a condition, quality, or state.”
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
African American English
hep / hip
“Slang meaning informed, up-to-date, or familiar with the latest culture; the exact origin is uncertain.”
Early 20th Century
English
hip
“Aware of and sophisticated about current culture, especially jazz and other emerging popular forms.”
20th Century
English
hipness
“The quality of being hip, fashionable, or culturally knowing.”
Modern English
English
hipness
“An abstract noun describing stylishness, cultural awareness, or social cool.”