tip

The word “tip” means the pointed or outer end of something. In plain terms, can mean the pointed end of something, to tilt over, money left for service, or a useful piece of advice — context makes clear which.

“Tip” is pronounced tihp (/tɪp/ in IPA).

Here is “tip” used in a sentence: “She sharpened the tip of her pencil.”

Words with a similar meaning to “tip” include gratuity and hint.

Depending on how it is used, “tip” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “tip” comes from Middle English. From Middle English tip/typ, from a Proto-Germanic word for a small pointed end.

“Tip” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Tip” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the pointed or outer end of something.

The tip is the very end or outermost point of an object. Familiar examples include the tip of your finger, the tip of a pen, the tip of an iceberg, the tip of a knife, and the tip of your nose. It usually refers to the narrowest or furthest-reaching part.

They overlap, but a 'point' is specifically a sharp, tapering end, while a 'tip' is simply the extreme end, whether sharp or not. A pencil has both a point and a tip, yet the rounded tip of a finger has no point. Every point is a tip, but not every tip is a point.

No. This entry covers the 'outer end' sense, as in the tip of a wing. 'Tip' has other, unrelated meanings too: a small gift of money for good service, a piece of helpful advice, or the act of tilting something over. The surrounding sentence makes clear which meaning is intended.

For a long or tapering object, the opposite of the tip is usually the 'base,' 'root,' or 'butt' — the wider, fixed end. The tip of a leaf contrasts with its base, and the tip of a sword contrasts with its hilt or handle. The tip is the far end; the base is the anchored one.