hump

1 of 2

noun

ˈhəmp 

1

: a rounded protuberance: such as

a

: humpback sense 1

b

: a fleshy protuberance on the back of an animal (such as a camel, bison, or whale)

c(1)

: mound, hummock

(2)

: mountain, range

the Himalayan hump

2

British : a fit of depression or sulking

3

: a difficult, trying, or critical phase or obstacle

—often used in the phrase over the hump

humped

ˈhəm(p)t 

adjective

hump

2 of 2

verb

humped; humping; humps

transitive verb

1

usually vulgar : to copulate with

2

: to exert (oneself) vigorously

3

: to make humpbacked : hunch

4

chiefly British : to put or carry on the back : lug

also : transport

intransitive verb

1

: to exert oneself : hustle

2

: to move swiftly : race

Synonyms

Noun

• grouch
• pet
• pouts
• snit
• sulk
• sulkiness
• sullenness

Verb

• bang away
• beaver (away)
• dig (away)
• drudge
• endeavor
• fag
• grub
• hustle
• labor
• moil
• peg (away)
• plod
• plow
• plug
• slave
• slog
• strain
• strive
• struggle
• sweat
• toil
• travail
• tug
• work

Examples of hump in a Sentence

Noun

failing her A-levels has certainly given her the hump

a cloud-capped hump straddles the border separating the two countries

Verb

the farmers had to really hump to get the harvest in before the rains

the boat was really humping before the motor started to sputter all of a sudden

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Mickey, a junior second baseman who’s excelling in his first season as a varsity starter for the Vikings, was thrilled to help his dad finally get over that hump. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025

Since 2015, the Bearcats have made deep runs but are still searching to get over the championship hump. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2025

Verb

In Out in the Country (1939), a woman lounges in a farmyard, seemingly relaxed, but a brood of trees and distant humped hills like burial mounds spoil the bucolic mood. —Jeremy Lybarger, ARTnews.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Scott basically humps the door. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

akin to Middle Low German hump bump, Dutch homp lump, chunk, Frisian homp, himp

First Known Use

Noun

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1785, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing hump

• dowager's hump
• gets the hump
• gives her the hump
• hump day
• over the hump
• the hump

Rhymes for hump

• bump
• chump
• clump
• crump
• dump
• gump
• jump
• lump
• plump
• pump
• rump
• slump

Kids Definition

hump

1 of 2 noun

ˈhəmp 

1

: a rounded bulge or lump (as on the back of a camel)

2

: a difficult part (as of a task)

humped

ˈhəm(p)t

adjective

hump

2 of 2 verb

1

: to move or work energetically : hustle

2

: to make hump-shaped : hunch

Medical Definition

hump

noun

ˈhəmp 

: a rounded protuberance

especially : humpback