slipper

1 of 2

adjective

slip·​per ˈsli-pər 

chiefly dialectal

: slippery

slipper

2 of 2

noun

: a light low-cut shoe that is easily slipped on the foot

slippered

ˈsli-pərd 

adjective

Examples of slipper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The influence informed supple leather parkas, wrap-effect dresses and sculptural bustier silhouettes, inspired by ballet slippers and pointe shoes. —Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 4 June 2026

Even the hotel slippers are turbo-charged—chunkier and softer than average. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026

Developed alongside adaptive athletes and members of the adaptive sports community, the collection includes a zipperless sleeping bag, a more accessible tent, a daypack designed for a wider range of users, interchangeable camp slippers, and a convertible sun hat. —Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Percy Steinhart—the late designer of velvet slippers worn by the likes of Anne Hathaway, Lady Gaga, and the former king of Spain—was the owner of this Federal-style beauty in Litchfield, originally built in 1874. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English slipir, sliper "causing something to slide or slip, deceitful," going back to Old English slipor, sliper, going back to Germanic *slip-ra- (whence also Old High German sleffar "sloping downward"), adjective derivative from the base of Germanic *sleipan- (strong verb) "to slide, slip" (whence Middle Dutch slīpen "to smooth, polish, sharpen," Middle Low German, "to glide, sink, slip," Old High German slīfan "to slide, pass away, decline"), of uncertain origin

Note: The adjective slipper has been effectively replaced by its derivative slippery, though the former was in existence in dialect late enough to be noticed by the Survey of English Dialects, which recorded it in Devon and Cornwall (see Survey of English Dialects: The Dictionary and Grammar, Routledge, 1994, s.v.). — The Germanic verb has been compared with Greek olibrón, glossed by Hesychius with olisthērón "slippery," though the assumption of an Indo-European etymon *h₃slib-ro-, with both *b and a laryngeal preceding a sibilant, seems questionable. Parallel to *sleipan- is a verb *sleupan- "to creep, glide," which has been explained as a secondary formation based on near-synonymous *sleuban- (see slip entry 5, sleeve). As all these bases are ultimately of phonesthemic origin and can presumably be reshaped by variation of phonesthemic origin, it is difficult to disentangle inheritance from innovation. Compare slip entry 1.

Noun

Middle English slypper, from slippen "to slip entry 1" + -er -er entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing slipper

• carpet slipper
• lady's slipper
• slipper chair

Rhymes for slipper

• chipper
• clipper
• dipper
• flipper
• gripper
• kipper
• nipper
• ripper
• shipper
• skipper
• stripper
• tipper

Kids Definition

slipper

noun

slip·​per

ˈslip-ər

: a light low shoe without laces that is easily slipped on or off

slippered

-ərd

adjective