noun
flipper
FLIH-puh
noun
1
A wide, flat limb used for swimming, found on animals such as whales, seals, and turtles.
"The seal slapped its flipper against the water."
2
A flat rubber fin worn on the foot to aid swimming.
"She put on her flippers before diving into the reef."
3
A moving lever in a pinball machine used to hit the ball.
"He tapped the flipper button just in time to save the ball."
How to Use Flipper
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA flat swimming limb (on an animal or worn as gear), or the paddle in a pinball machine.
Common pairings
pair of flippers
pinball flipper
Word Forms
flippered past tense, flippers plural, flippers singular
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The seal slapped its _____ against the water.
Etymology
From flip + the agent suffix -er.