<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001130866</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HITTITE MICROWAVE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HITT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001330182</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Ayasli Yalcin</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O HITTITE MICROWAVE CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>20 ALPHA ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHELMSFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01824</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>55.2290</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2146886</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sale reported in this Form 4 was effected pursuant to a 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This price represents the weighted average sale price of multiple transactions on the reported date at prices that ranged between $54.93 and $55.87. Detailed information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price will be provided upon request by the Commission staff, the issuer, or a security holder of the issuer.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Robert W. Sweet, Jr., Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
