hitchhike
/ˈhɪt͡ʃhaɪk/verb, noun
hitchhike is spelled H-I-T-C-H-H-I-K-E: 9 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 76,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, hitchhike means “To try to get a ride in a passing vehicle while standing at the side of a road, generally by either sticking out one's finger or thumb or holding a…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in hitchhike?
| Letters | 9: H-I-T-C-H-H-I-K-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 7 million words; the 76,798th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is hitchhike?
Hitchhike appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 76,798th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce hitchhike?
- /ˈhɪt͡ʃhaɪk/
Hitchhike has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-hitchhike.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with hitchhike
Also written: hitch-hike (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of hitchhike
- hitchhikes present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- hitchhiking participle, present
- hitchhiked participle, past
- hitch-hike
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does hitchhike mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To try to get a ride in a passing vehicle while standing at the side of a road, generally by either sticking out one's finger or thumb or holding a sign with one's stated destination.
- 2
USTo try to get (a ride) in this manner.
Pamela hitchhiked a ride to New York.
- 3
To be carried along with something else.
In genetic hitchhiking, a gene is propagated because it occurs in conjunction with a favourable mutation.
noun
- 1
A journey made by hitchhiking.
- 2
Alternative form of hitchhiker (“advertisement at the end of a programme”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate hitchhike?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of hitchhike: hitch.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Hitchhike in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to try to get a ride in a passing vehicle while standing at the side of a road:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | faire de l'auto-stop, faire du stop |
| German | trampen, autostoppen, per Anhalter fahren |
| Portuguese | pedir carona, pedir boleia |
| Spanish | echar / jalar / tirar / halar dedo, hacer autostop / autoestop, hacer dedo, pedir un bote |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does hitchhike come from?
From hitch + hike.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).