noun
WIP
wip
WIP (noun) means Work in progress: something started but not finished, posted or shared in its unfinished state. Example: “Here's a WIP of the album cover, colours still to come.”
noun
1
Work in progress: something started but not finished, posted or shared in its unfinished state.
"Here's a WIP of the album cover, colours still to come."
"The pull request is a WIP, please don't merge it yet."
2
technical In accounting and manufacturing, partly finished goods sitting on the production line, counted as an asset until completed.
"Rising WIP inventory tied up cash for most of the quarter."
3
technical In agile and kanban working, the number of tasks being worked on at once, which teams cap to keep things moving.
"We set a WIP limit of three cards per column."
How to use WIP
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething you have started but not finished yet.
When to use it
Written in capitals; pronounced as a word rather than spelled out. Used as a label on artwork, code branches and documents, and as a self-deprecating tag for anything imperfect.
Memory tip
Prefixing a pull request title with "WIP:" is a standard convention meaning "review welcome, do not merge".
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
WIP limit
a WIP
still a WIP
WIP inventory
mark as WIP
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Here's a _____ of the album cover, colours still to come.
Etymology
An initialism of work in progress.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
finished piece
final
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does WIP mean?
Work in progress. Artists and developers use it to label something that is deliberately unfinished, so viewers know they are seeing an in-between state.
What is a WIP limit?
A cap on how many tasks a team allows to be in progress at once. Kanban teams use it because too many part-finished jobs slow everything down; finishing beats starting.
Is it WIP or W.I.P.?
WIP, without full stops. It is normally said as a single word rhyming with "tip" rather than letter by letter.
What is the meaning of WIP?
"WIP" (noun) means work in progress: something started but not finished, posted or shared in its unfinished state.
