hiccup
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
hikuhpSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈhɪkəp
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
usually plural
The state of having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound; sometimes a symptom of indigestion
“How do you cure the hiccups?”
A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound.
A case of the hiccups; the condition of having the spasms of hiccupping; singultus; diaphragmatic myoclonus.
by extension
Any spasm or sudden change.
informal
A minor obstacle or setback.
verb
intransitive
To produce a hiccup; have the hiccups.
intransitive
To produce an abortive sound like a hiccup.
transitive
To say with a hiccup.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
- Formality
- Technical
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The state of having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound; sometimes a symptom of indigestion
Used this way, hiccup is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It turns up most in medicine or healthcare contexts.
“How do you cure the hiccups?”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Where it naturally appears
- Medicine/healthcare
Nearby words
- hiccough , used mainly in Regional English
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use hiccup
- “How do you cure the hiccups?”noun
- “When you have to hiccup, drink a glass of cold water.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Ornamental African shrub or climber with red flowers.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.