The origin of the phrase hip, hip, hooray can be traced back to the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries when it was commonly used as a toast. The word hooray is derived from hurrah and huzzah, which were battle cries used by European armies without a specific meaning. On the other hand, hip has a more complex history. It has been documented as an interjection to grab someone’s attention, but its connection to the repeated usage in the phrase is unclear. One theory suggests a possible link to hep, hep, a traditional anti-Semitic chant associated with the Hep-Hep riots in Germany, where violence against Jews occurred. Despite various false etymologies circulating online, the most probable origin is a herding call used by shepherds in the region.
