noun

nipper

NIH-puh

Nipper (noun) means (informal, British) A young child. Example: “He's been coming to this park since he was a little nipper.”

noun

(informal, British) A young child.

"He's been coming to this park since he was a little nipper."

The pincer-like claw of a crab or lobster.

"Mind the nippers — that crab can give you quite a pinch."

How to use nipper

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA slang word for a small child, or the pinching claw of a crab or lobster.

When to use it

Informal and affectionate when used for children.

nippered past tense, nippers plural, Nippers plural, nippers singular

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Test yourself on “nipper” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

He's been coming to this park since he was a little _____.

From nip + -er, "one that nips" — originally used for anything that pinches, later extended affectionately to small children.

child kid minor fry claw youngster tyke shaver pincer tike chela tiddler

small important kind girl major child father son

zipper tipper ripper kipper dipper flipper skipper slipper chipper clipper stripper

What does “nipper” mean?

The word “nipper” means (informal, British) A young child. In plain terms, a slang word for a small child, or the pinching claw of a crab or lobster.

How do you pronounce “nipper”?

“Nipper” is pronounced NIH-puh (/ˈnɪpə(ɹ)/ in IPA).

How do you use “nipper” in a sentence?

Here is “nipper” used in a sentence: “He's been coming to this park since he was a little nipper.”

What part of speech is “nipper”?

“Nipper” is a noun.

How many meanings does “nipper” have?

“Nipper” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (informal, British) A young child.

small important kind girl major child father son