IPA

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˌī-(ˌ)pē-ˈā 

plural IPAs

: a pale ale made with extra hops : india pale ale

American beers, especially IPAs, are still quite hoppy …

—Lauren Buzzeo

IPA

2 of 3

noun (2)

ˌī-(ˌ)pē-ˈā 

: an alphabet designed to represent each human speech sound with a unique symbol

IPA

3 of 3

abbreviation

individual practice association

Examples of IPA in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its brewery produces two types of pale ale, one IPA and a lager as well as short-term limited releases. —Cat Wang, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

Sweet Resistance, from San Diego’s Fall Brewing, a New Zealand-Style IPA. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025

In addition to an impressive range of brews—from coffee milk stout to hazy IPA to Czech-style pilsner—there were pillowy pretzel bites to snack on with a choice of ’Gansett beer cheese or agave mustard. —Madison Trapkin, Saveur, 7 May 2025

The success of the craft beer industry in recent years has been driven by the popularity of IPA, which has become ubiquitous in craft beer taprooms. —Don Tse, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

India Pale Ale

Noun (2)

International Phonetic Alphabet

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1893, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1933, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

IPA

abbreviation

independent practice association; individual practice association

Note: An independent practice association is made up of a group of physicians in private practice who join in an association that contracts with a managed health-care plan (as an HMO) to provide medical services to patients enrolled in the plan.