Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

zip

/zɪp/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.87 in modern English

Syllables: zip
IPA: /zɪp/

14

Scrabble Score

3

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The high-pitched sound of a small object moving rapidly through air.

noun

Energy; vigor; vim.

Informal

noun

A zip fastener.

British usage

noun

Slang

noun

A trip on a zipline.

noun

Informal

noun

Synonym of convolution (“a type of mapping function”).

noun

Synonym of zip zap zop

Example Sentences

"Catrin: What sort of doctor wears a suit? My doctor wears a fleece. Can see his nasty little chest hairs poking through the zip…"
"I know zip about economics."
"`Zip!' Just like that, an exquisitely shaped fragment of a flashing rainbow in flight flits across in front of us[.]"
"Zip your lip!"
"The bullet zipped through the air."
"Zip down to the shops for some milk."

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Usage

Inflected Forms

zips (plural) zips (present, singular) zipping (participle, present) zipped (participle, past) zipped (past)

Derived Forms

zippo unzip

Phrases

full-zip half-zip quarter-zip zip-a-dee-doo-dah zip bomb zip cuffs zip down Zip drive

Frequently Paired Words

zip coon .zip

Synonyms

convolution zip zap zop whizz zing slide fastener zip fastener zipper whee zip up

Rhymes With

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

Questions

How do you pronounce zip?: The recorded pronunciation is /zɪp/.
What does zip mean?: The high-pitched sound of a small object moving rapidly through air.
Where does zip come from?: Onomatopoeic.

How to pronounce zip

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