Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

snip

/snɪp/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.84 in modern English

Syllables: snip
IPA: /snɪp/

6

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To cut with short sharp actions, as with scissors.

verb

To reduce the price of a product, to create a snip.

verb

To break off; to snatch away.

verb

Informal

verb

To perform a vasectomy.

Informal

verb

To remove the irrelevant parts of quotations in the reply message.

verb

To speak or say in a snippish manner.

noun

The act of snipping; cutting a small amount off of something.

Example Sentences

"I don't want you to take much hair off; just snip my mullet off."
"[T]he Captain ſeldom ordered any thing out of the Ship's Stores, […] but I ſnipt ſome of it for my own Share."
"Circumcised fathers face a special problem. Do you want your son's willy to be that radically different from your own? So, parents should perhaps not be put off. Be good to your son's future lovers and have him snipped."
"His children, however, were not snipped, possibly because Princess Diana was opposed to the practice, which is out of fashion in England."
"By the outbreak of the First World War such claims had diminished and the medical profession touted circumcision as being 'hygienic' — fathers were not only encouraged to have their newborn sons snipped, but to belatedly enjoy the benefits themselves."
""No, Jo, it wasn't one bit crowded, there was room enought ^([sic]) for everyone," she burbled on. "And we were there, and all these other wymeen too, of all shapes, sizes, and colors..." "Hmpgh! Very politically correct!" Jo snipped."

Etymology

From Dutch snippen (“to snip; shred”) or Low German snippen (“to snip; shred”), of imitative origin. Compare snap.

Usage

Inflected Forms

snips (present, singular) snipping (participle, present) snipped (participle, past) snipped (past) snips (plural)

Derived Forms

resnip snippable snippage snipper snippy snipt sniplet snippet snippock

Phrases

snip-snap snippy snip

Synonyms

snippage snippectomy snipping clip clipping snippet crop trim lop dress prune cut back

Homonyms

SNP

Rhymes With

ship trip tip hip strip chip slip rip clip skip flip lip

Questions

How do you pronounce snip?: The recorded pronunciation is /snɪp/.
What does snip mean?: To cut with short sharp actions, as with scissors.
Where does snip come from?: From Dutch snippen (“to snip; shred”) or Low German snippen (“to snip; shred”), of imitative origin. Compare snap.

How to pronounce snip

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “snip”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/snɪp/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “snip”.
Repeat and practice — Say “snip” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.