hep

Meanings

Noun

• hepatitis.
• Abbreviation of high-energy physics
• A hip of a rose; a rosehip.
• An instance of crying hep!, especially as a call to attack Jewish people.

Adjective

• Aware, up-to-date.
• Cool, hip, sophisticated.

Verb

• To make aware of.

Origin

• Shortening.
• Alteration of hip.
• US slang of Unknown or disputed origin, first recorded 1903. Robert Gold suggested that it is a variant of hip, from white jazz fans’ mishearing African American musicians,. Jonathon Green suggests a connection to a 19th century interjection used to drive horses; compare gee up.
• From German hep or Hepp-Hepp, an interjection used to attack Jewish people. The origin of the German source is unknown, but may come from a goatherd’s call.