hiccup
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hiccup
- /ˈhɪkʌp/
- /ˈhɪkəp/
Sounds like hiccough · Rhymes with -ɪkəp, -ɪkʌp
Where it comes from
From earlier hickop, alteration of earlier hicket, hyckock, from hic (onomatopoeic) + -ock (diminutive suffix).
Akin to Scots hick, hix (“hiccup”), West Frisian hik (“hiccup”), Dutch hik (“hiccup”), Middle Low German hükup, huckup, hueckup (modern Low German hick (“hiccup”)), German hicksen (“to hiccup”, verb), Alemannic German Hidsgi (“hiccup”), Danish hikke (“hiccup”), Swedish hicka (“hiccup”), hicka (“to hiccup”, verb), Icelandic hiksti (“hiccup”).
Displaced yex, from Middle English yexen, ȝisken, ȝixen, ȝoxen (“to hiccup”), from Old English ġiscian, ġeocsian (“to hiccup”).
The double c in the spelling (as opposed to ck) is a remnant of the unetymological hiccough spelling.
noun hiccups · hiccough · hickup
- A spasm of the diaphragm, or the resulting sound. There was a loud hiccup from the back of the room and the class erupted in laughter.
- A case of the hiccups; the condition of having the spasms of hiccupping; singultus; diaphragmatic myoclonus.
- Any spasm or sudden change. Albert didn't notice the switch, the subliminal flash and hiccup in time as the man he had been talking to only seconds before was catapulted backwards half an hour.
-
A minor obstacle or setback.
There's been a slight hiccup in the processing of this quarter's results.
Similar: hang-up
verb hiccups · hiccuping · hiccupping · hiccuped · hiccupped
- To produce a hiccup; have the hiccups.
- To say with a hiccup. "I haven't touched a drop, officer," the suspect hiccupped.
- To produce an abortive sound like a hiccup. The car engine hiccupped but wouldn't start.
Translations
Every language
noun spasm of the diaphragm
| Español | hipo, singulto, hipido, jipido, jipío |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 딸꾹질 ttalkkukjil |
| 日本語 | しゃっくり shakkuri, ヒック hikku |
| 中文 | 打嗝（兒） /打嗝（儿）, 呃逆 ènì |
| हिन्दी | हिचकी hickī |
| Kiswahili | kwikwi |
| Português | soluço |
| Français | hoquet |
| Deutsch | see Thesaurus:Schluckauf |
| Italiano | singhiozzo, singulto |
| Ελληνικά | λόξιγκας lóxigkas |
| Română | sughiț |
| Русский | ико́та ikóta |
| Tiếng Việt | cái nấc |
| العربية | حَازُوقَة ḥāzūqa, فُوَاق fuwāq |
| עברית | שיהוק shihúk |
noun minor setback
| Français | accroc, cahot, anicroche, obstacle |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | kleiner Rückschlag, kleines Hindernis, kleines Problem |
| Italiano | imprevisto, contrattempo |
| Русский | небо́льшой сбой nebólʹšoj sboj, загво́здка zagvózdka |
verb to hiccup
| Español | hipar, himpar, himplar, jipiar, tener hipo, estar con hipo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 딸꾹질하다 ttalkkukjilhada |
| 日本語 | しゃっくりをする shakkuri o suru |
| 中文 | 打嗝（兒） /打嗝（儿）, 呃逆 ènì |
| Português | soluçar |
| Français | hoqueter, avoir le hoquet |
| Deutsch | hicksen |
| Italiano | singhiozzare |
| Română | sughița |
| Русский | ика́ть ikátʹ, икну́ть iknútʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | nấc cụt, nấc |
| العربية | فَوَاقَ fawāqa |
| עברית | שיהק |
Talk about this word "hiccup." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hiccup. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. hiccup. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hiccup "hiccup." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hiccup.Cite this
@misc{hiccup_2026,
title = {hiccup},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hiccup},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
