Phrase guide

elbow bump

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɛlbəʊ ˈbʌmp/
  • General-American: /ˌɛlboʊ ˈbʌmp/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌmp

1

noun

Meaning 1

A hit to the elbow; also, an injury to the elbow caused by such a hit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A hit or jab made with the elbow.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The touching of elbows between two people, sometimes as an alternative to a handshake, fist bump, or other form of contact when attempting to avoid the spread of germs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: elbow shake, elbow tap

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From elbow + bump, modelled on fist bump.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: isku kyynärpäähän — hit to the elbow; injury to the elbow caused by such a hit
  • Finnish: isku kyynärpäällä — hit or jab made with the elbow
  • Catalan: xoc de colzes — touching of elbows between two people
  • Danish: albuehilsen — touching of elbows between two people
  • Dutch: ellebooggroet — touching of elbows between two people
  • Esperanto: kubuta saluto — touching of elbows between two people
  • Finnish: kyynärpäätervehdys — touching of elbows between two people
  • French: salut du coude — touching of elbows between two people
  • Greek: αγκωναψία (agkonapsía) — touching of elbows between two people
  • Hebrew: כיף מרפק — touching of elbows between two people
  • Indonesian: salam siku — touching of elbows between two people
  • Indonesian: tos siku — touching of elbows between two people
  • Italian: saluto col gomito — touching of elbows between two people
  • Korean: 팔꿈치 인사 (palkkumchi insa) — touching of elbows between two people
  • Macedonian: по́здрав со лакт (pózdrav so lakt) — touching of elbows between two people
  • Macedonian: поздраву́вање со лакт (pozdravúvanje so lakt) — touching of elbows between two people
  • Norwegian Bokmål: albuehilsen — touching of elbows between two people
  • Spanish: choque de codos — touching of elbows between two people
  • Swedish: armbågshälsningen — touching of elbows between two people