Word
hipster
Phoneticship·ster
US/ˈhɪpstɝ/
UK/hˈɪpstɐ/
Definitions
01modern trend-follower
n. a person who follows the latest trends and styles, often preferring things that are not popular with the general public.
n. a person who follows non-mainstream trends, typically associated with independent music, vintage fashion, and an interest in artisanal or alternative lifestyles.
“The neighborhood is full of hipsters who spend their weekends at organic coffee shops and vinyl record stores.”
“The rapid gentrification of the district was driven largely by hipsters seeking affordable studio spaces and a more authentic, non-corporate urban environment.”
Informal
Teaching tip
In modern usage, this term is often used with a slightly negative or mocking tone to describe people who try too hard to be cool or unique.
Synonyms
Antonyms
021940s jazz fan
n. a person in the 1940s who loved jazz music and followed the cool, alternative lifestyle of that time.
n. a member of the 1940s subculture characterized by an interest in jazz, bebop, and a lifestyle that rejected conventional middle-class values.
“In the 1940s, a hipster was someone who knew all the best underground jazz clubs.”
“The original hipsters of the mid-twentieth century were defined by their adoption of African American jazz culture and their detached, cool social attitude.”
Archaic · American English
Teaching tip
This is the historical root of the word; modern students will rarely encounter it except in literature or history books about the Beat Generation.
Synonyms
03to act like a hipster
v. to behave or dress in a way that follows hipster trends.
v. to adopt the behaviors, clothing styles, or aesthetic preferences associated with hipster subculture.
“He started to hipster his apartment with vintage furniture and old film posters.”
“The brand attempted to hipster its image by collaborating with independent artists and using retro-style packaging.”
Informal · Slang
Usage
The verb is often used intransitively or with a direct object representing a space or style.
Teaching tip
Using 'hipster' as a verb is much less common than the noun and is usually found in very casual or creative writing.
Etymology
From hip + -ster. First attested for someone carrying something on their hip in the U.S. in the 1920s. Attested as a variant of hepster in the 1940s, for a follower of the latest fashions/trends/styles.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hipster