noun

snipe

snyp

noun

A long-billed wading bird found in marshes and wetlands.

"The hunters spotted a snipe darting low over the reeds."

verb

To shoot at someone from a hidden position.

"Enemy soldiers sniped at the convoy from the rooftops."

To make sly, critical remarks about someone, often from a safe distance.

"Rival commentators kept sniping at each other on social media."

To place a last-second bid in an online auction to beat other bidders.

"He used software to snipe the auction in its final seconds."

How to Use Snipe

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the wading bird, or the act of attacking (with words, bullets, or auction bids) from a hidden or safe position.

Common pairings

snipe at snipe an auction hunt snipe

Word Forms

sniped past tense, sniped past tense, snipes plural, snipe plural, snipes plural, snipes plural, Snipes plural, snipes singular, snipes singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The hunters spotted a _____ darting low over the reeds.

Etymology

From Old Norse snípa (a type of bird). The verb sense came later, from British soldiers in India who called a skilled hunter of the elusive snipe bird a "sniper."

Rhymes for snipe

pipe wipe ripe gripe stipe swipe tripe recipe stripe Felipe bagpipe asswipe

See all rhymes for snipe →