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

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

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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
• gives her the hump
• hump day
• over the hump
• the hump
• gets the hump

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

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