what's up

English

Alternative forms

• (nonstandard/slang:) wassup, what up, waz up, wazzup, whassup, wuzzup, wussup, sup, wa'up, swa'up, 'sup

Etymology

Made popular by the cartoon character Bugs Bunny as part of his catch phrase “What’s up Doc?”, as early as 1940. Originally a common greeting from Bugs Bunny creator Tex Avery's neighborhood in Taylor, Texas.

Pronunciation

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Phrase

what's up?

1. (idiomatic, colloquial, with up in the sense of "of concern") What’s the matter? What is the problem? What is wrong?

   You're looking a bit miserable. What's up?

   I got a call saying to come straight away. What's up?

   • 1884 December 10, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) , London: Chatto & Windus, , →OCLC:

     Hello, what's up? Don't cry bub. What's the trouble?

   • 1890, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, wikipedia:The Firm of Girdlestone, Chapter 1:

     "What's up!" he asked, dropping back into a chair, and jingling the loose coins in his trouser pockets.

   • 1912, W. Somerset Maugham, Lady Frederick: A Comedy in Three Acts, act 1:

     Lady Frederick: Oh lord, I wish I were eighteen. [She sinks into a chair, and an expression of utter weariness comes over her face.]
     Gerald: I say, what's up?
     Lady Frederick: [Starting.] I thought you'd gone. Nothing.

2. (idiomatic, colloquial, chiefly US, with up in the sense of "happening") What's happening? What are you doing?

   Synonyms: what's happening, what's new, what's the haps

   Hey, what's up? – Not much, just working.

3. (rhetorical question, colloquial) A casual greeting with a meaning similar to hi or nice to meet you.

   Hey, what's up? – Hey! Good to see you.

Usage notes

Sometimes, people give sarcastic responses to this question, such as "the sky" or "the ceiling" (or anything that is above the speaker).

Translations

See also

• what's up with
• what's up Doc

References