online medical dictionary | definition of hip

1. The projecting region of the lateral parts of one side of the pelvis and the hip joint; the haunch; the huckle.

2. The external angle formed by the meeting of two sloping sides or skirts of a roof, which have their wall plates running in different directions.

3. <engineering> In a bridge truss, the place where an inclined end post meets the top chord.

<anatomy> Hip bone, a roof having sloping ends and sloping sides. See Hip, 2, and Hip. Hip tile, a tile made to cover the hip of a roof. To catch upon the hip, or To have on the hip, to have or get the advantage of; a figure probably derived from wresting. To smite hip and thigh, to overthrow completely; to defeat utterly.

Origin: OE. Hipe, huppe, AS. Hype; akin to D. Heup, OHG. Huf, G. Hufte, Dan. Hofte, Sw. Hoft, Goth. Hups; cf. Icel. Huppr, and also Gr. The hollow above the hips of cattle, and Lith. Kumpis ham.

<botany> The fruit of a rosebush, especially of the English dog-rose (Rosa canina).

<botany> Alternative forms: hop, hep] Hip tree, the dog-rose.

Origin: OE. Hepe, AS. Heope; cf. OHG. Hiufo a bramble bush.

(01 Mar 1998)