# So...is it hip cats or hick cats?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-hip-cats-or-hick-cats/90906>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 1, 2001, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-hip-cats-or-hick-cats/90906 "2001-11-01T14:47:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Kendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kendo)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-hip-cats-or-hick-cats/90906/1 "2001-11-01T14:47:00Z")

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I’ve heard both terms used…

…in fact, I’ve had someone very strenously argue that he KNOWS that it’s hick cats. Although, this was a conversation, so I’m not too sure about spelling.

Is he right?

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**Author:** ![Mogwei22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mogwei22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogwei22)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-hip-cats-or-hick-cats/90906/2 "2001-11-01T14:49:09Z")

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Hmm. I always thought it was Hep Cat. Dunno what it means though.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-hip-cats-or-hick-cats/90906/3 "2001-11-01T15:01:19Z")

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Staff Report: [What’s the origin of “hip”?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhip.html)  
Column by Cecil: [Was “hip hip hurrah” originally an anti-Semitic taunt?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_241b.html)

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**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-hip-cats-or-hick-cats/90906/4 "2001-11-01T15:03:54Z")

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Originally “hep cats”, became “hip cats”.

[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhip.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhip.html)

🆒  
Upon preview: [striking gloating comments] Dammit, bibliophage, that’s not fair! I wanted to be first, just this one time.