Definition

Noun: 1. A person, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, who rejects established social norms and conventions; an advocate of extreme liberalism in politics and lifestyle, often characterized by a interest in communal living, psychedelic music, and Eastern philosophy.

Usage

The term "hippy" (also spelled "hippie") is used to describe a member of a specific countercultural movement. It is typically used as a countable noun. - He was a hippy in the 1960s, traveling across the country in a painted van. - The festival attracted many hippies who believed in peace and love.

Advanced Usage

• "hippy-dippy" (adj, informal): Used to describe something or someone as naively idealistic, overly sentimental, or unserious in a way associated with stereotypical hippy attitudes.
  • His hippy-dippy ideas about solving the economy were not taken seriously by the committee.

Variants and Related Words

• Hippie: The more common alternate spelling of "hippy."
• Hippiedom (n): The state or realm of hippies; the hippy community or culture.
• Hippyish / Hippieish (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a hippy.

Synonyms

• Bohemian: A person, often involved in the arts, who lives in an unconventional manner.
• Nonconformist: A person whose behavior or views do not conform to prevailing ideas or practices.
• Flower child: A synonym specifically for a peaceful, love-oriented hippy.

Antonyms

• Conformist: A person who conforms to accepted behavior or established practices.
• Straight (slang, historical): A person who is conventional, especially as contrasted with a hippy.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Turn on, tune in, drop out": A phrase popularized by Timothy Leary, closely associated with the 1960s hippy ethos, advocating psychedelic drug use ("turn on"), a reconfiguration of life ("tune in"), and withdrawal from conventional society ("drop out").

Noun

1. someone who rejects the established culture; advocates extreme liberalism in politics and lifestyle