hump

1 of 2

noun

1
: a rounded protuberance: such as
b
: a fleshy protuberance on the back of an animal (such as a camel, bison, or whale)
c(1)
(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 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

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
Adding a hump behind the sail, like Ohio-class submarines, might require a lengthy redesign. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 5 Sep. 2023 People who snap photos often report a break or wake in the water or a dark-colored hump or object appearing out of the water. Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2023 This means there can’t be any humps or deep furrows in the concrete. Tim Carter, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2023 Speed humps are traffic-calming tools intended to reduce vehicle speeds, and are being used around Somerville. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2023 The vehicle also feels very settled on its air suspension, shrugging off the speed humps that litter this first part of our route. Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 21 July 2023 Homes are not facing the areas where the speed humps will be located. Chandra Fleming, Detroit Free Press, 12 May 2023 Getting over that hump in this tournament was hardly a linear path, even after England won the European Championship last year on home soil. Jenny Vrentas, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2023 Prestonwood Christian, the team Parish Episcopal beat in last year’s Division I state championship, will look to get over that hump, led by senior quarterback Kellen Tasby. Peter Rauterkus, Dallas News, 15 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hump.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hump was in 1681

Dictionary Entries Near hump

Cite this Entry

“Hump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hump. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

hump

1 of 2 noun
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
: a rounded protuberance
especially : humpback

More from Merriam-Webster on hump

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