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

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

The vintage/modern taproom located in Maui’s upcountry serves up a variety of brews, including a hazy IPA, imperial stout, brown ale, blonde, lager and several sours. —Ben Davidson, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025

Over the last decade, he’s won multiple international awards, including the International Photography Awards (IPA), PX3 Paris, Tokyo International Foto Award, and the Siena Award. —Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025

Hoey said some people get coconut notes from the IPA, while others taste a more woody profile. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 18 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.