hump

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /hʌmp/ UK /hʌmp/ See IPA manual

Freq #9607

Meanings

1

noun
a rounded raised mass, bulge, or protuberance, including the raised part of a camel's back

The camel stores fat, not water, in its hump.
2

verb
to bend or raise the back into a rounded shape

The cat began to hump its back when the dog approached.
3

verb
informal: to carry or move something heavy with effort

We had to hump the equipment up three flights of stairs.
4

verb
vulgar slang: to have sexual intercourse with someone

The crude character boasted that he wanted to hump everyone he met.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a rounded raised mass,... bulge bump protuberance mound

2 verb · to bend or raise the back... hunch arch

3 verb · informal: to carry or move... haul lug tote

4 verb · vulgar slang: to have... have sex withcopulate with

Word family

Forms humpedhumplesshumps

Derived forms dry-humphummockhump-backedhump-nosedhumpablehumpathonhumpbackhumpbackedhumpeehumpityhumplesshumplike

Related forms camel hunch

Etymology

Probably borrowed from Dutch homp ('lump, chunk') or a related Middle Low German word for a heap, hill, or thick piece, ultimately of Germanic origin. The verb senses developed from the shape or effort associated with a hump: arching the back, carrying a burden, and, in vulgar slang, thrusting sexually.

Topics

Describing Qualities The Human Body

External links

# hump

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /hʌmp/
**IPA (UK):** /hʌmp/
**Frequency rank:** 9607

## Meanings
1. a rounded raised mass, bulge, or protuberance, including the raised part of a camel's back
2. to bend or raise the back into a rounded shape
3. informal: to carry or move something heavy with effort
4. vulgar slang: to have sexual intercourse with someone

## Examples
- The camel stores fat, not water, in its hump.
- The cat began to hump its back when the dog approached.
- We had to hump the equipment up three flights of stairs.
- The crude character boasted that he wanted to hump everyone he met.

## Synonyms
- bulge
- bump
- protuberance
- mound
- hunch
- haul
- lug

## Derived Forms
- dry-hump
- hummock
- hump-backed
- hump-nosed
- humpable
- humpathon
- humpback
- humpbacked
- humpee
- humpity
- humpless
- humplike

## Related Forms
- camel
- hunch

## Etymology
Probably borrowed from Dutch homp ('lump, chunk') or a related Middle Low German word for a heap, hill, or thick piece, ultimately of Germanic origin. The verb senses developed from the shape or effort associated with a hump: arching the back, carrying a burden, and, in vulgar slang, thrusting sexually.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- The Human Body

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