snip

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /snɪp/ UK /snɪp/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to cut with small quick strokes of scissors, or a small cut

She snipped the loose thread from the hem.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with snip

snip off Phrasal verb C2+

to remove a small part by cutting it with scissors or a similar tool

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to cut with small quick... clip cut trim nip crop shear

Word family

Derived forms snippersnippetsnippysnips

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

snip off
to remove a small part by cutting it with scissors or a similar tool

Verb + adverb

Etymology

From Low German or Dutch snippen ('to cut, snip'), of imitative origin, suggesting the quick sound of scissors.

snippen Dutch

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# snip

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /snɪp/
**IPA (UK):** /snɪp/

## Meanings
1. to cut with small quick strokes of scissors, or a small cut

## Examples
- She snipped the loose thread from the hem.

## Synonyms
- clip
- cut
- trim
- nip
- crop
- shear

## Derived Forms
- snipper
- snippet
- snippy
- snips

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: snippen

## Etymology
From Low German or Dutch snippen ('to cut, snip'), of imitative origin, suggesting the quick sound of scissors.

## AI Etymology
Snip comes from Low German or Dutch snippen ('to cut, snip'), of imitative origin, suggesting the quick sound of scissors. The historical chain includes Dutch snippen. The quoted older sense, "to cut, snip," supplies the immediate semantic anchor for snip. The formation is best read as borrowed: the word snip carries its older form-history into a compact English lexical shape. In present English it is used as a verb, "to cut with small quick strokes of scissors, or a small cut". English derivatives include snipper, snippet, snippy, and snips. The result is a verb and noun whose etymology preserves both the older form and the later English specialization.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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