quip

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a clever usually taunting remark : gibe
b
: a witty or funny observation or response usually made on the spur of the moment
2
3
: something strange, droll, curious, or eccentric : oddity
quippy adjective

quip

2 of 2

verb

quipped; quipping

transitive verb

: to jest or gibe at
quipper noun

Did you know?

Quip is a shortening of quippy, a noun that is no longer in use. Etymologists believe that quippy came from Latin quippe, a word meaning "indeed" or "to be sure" that was often used ironically.

Examples of quip in a Sentence

Noun They traded quips over a beer. has his share of the quips that seem to come with a title of nobility Verb she rolled her eyes at her brother's bragging and quipped, “You're a legend in your own mind, all right”
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In true indie film fashion, DeBoer sums up their collaboration with a self-deprecating quip. William Earl, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Contestants shoot from the lip and from the quip at each other, dueling and fooling with a topic that they’re given on the spot. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 The quip draws laughs from a crowd packed into the parlor of a historic home to hear what Holzer has to say about the 16th president. Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 In 1978, Munger joined Berkshire Hathaway as vice-chairman and has sat by his side, quick with a quip or a sage piece of advice. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 Perhaps to Maduro’s annoyance, the mantra has become a sarcastic quip, invoked when the Caracas airport goes dark during a power outage, for example. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2024 But there was no way to tell based on the way Howard burst onto the call, opening with a quip before the last of the reporters had finished signing in. Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press, 30 Jan. 2024 Take a short survey about the new Style. Lucas, while staying faithful to the film and to the play by JP Miller, adds smart quips and strengthens the emotional connection between Kirsten and the couple’s neglected daughter, played by Tabitha Lawing. Naveen Kumar, Washington Post, 29 Jan. 2024 Ramsey's co-presenter Anthony Ramos, who shared the Broadway stage with DeBose in Hamilton, added a quip, suggesting the lineup was fit for the Grammy Awards. EW.com, 16 Jan. 2024
Verb
Portman also won a best actress Golden Globe for the role and even quipped about their relationship in her acceptance speech. Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 Meyers quipped that this year’s segment was even better, largely because Adelaide was another year older. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Then in the final year of the decade, that changed, and a glut of anxious men arrived, kvetching, quipping and dating shiksas. Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 That may sound heavy, but the cast and quips keep this romance movie light. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 On Pause—For At Least A Week—For DOJ Response Zero Restriction: Liv Rain Pant As many might quip, there’s no bad weather only bad preparation. Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 College Street, as an observer quips, is living up to its name. Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2024 At the end of the Verizon commercial, Beyoncé quipped about dropping new music, a move many fans initially interpreted as a joke. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2024 Two years later, Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s chief executive officer, apologized after quipping that his bank was likely to outlast China’s Communist Party. TIME, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

earlier quippy, perhaps from Latin quippe indeed, to be sure (often ironic), from quid what — more at quiddity

First Known Use

Noun

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1579, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of quip was in 1532

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Dictionary Entries Near quip

Cite this Entry

“Quip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quip. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

quip

1 of 2 noun
1
: a clever remark
2
: a witty or funny saying

quip

2 of 2 verb
quipped; quipping
: to make quips

More from Merriam-Webster on quip

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