snip

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈsnip 

1

a

: a small piece that is snipped off

also : fragment, bit

b

: a cut or notch made by snipping

c

: an act or sound of snipping

2

: a white or light mark

especially : a white spot between the nostrils of a horse

3

: a presumptuous or impertinent person

especially : an impertinent or saucy girl

4

British : bargain, buy

snip

2 of 3

verb

snipped; snipping

transitive verb

: to cut or cut off with or as if with shears or scissors

snipped the stray threads

specifically : to clip suddenly or by bits

intransitive verb

: to make a short quick cut with or as if with shears or scissors

snipper noun

snipper

3 of 3

noun (2)

snip·​per

ˈsnipə(r)

plural -s

: one that snips: such as

a

: a worker who trims off edges (as of hides or sheet metal)

b

: nicker

Synonyms of snip

Noun (1)

• speck
• snippet
• bit
• shred
• scrap
• patch
• fleck
• particle
• mouthful
• grain
• sliver
• crumb
• molecule
• drop

Verb

• shave
• cut
• clip
• trim

Examples of snip in a Sentence

Noun (1)

cleared out the snips of paper that had been clogging the machine

that antique urn that we bought at London's Portobello Road Market was a real snip

Verb

He snipped some fresh herbs from plants on the windowsill.

snipping pictures out of magazines

She snipped at the hanging strings.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cut, trim and prune with loppers, shears, snips and more, dig and weed with scoops, trowels, weeders and more and take and cultivate with cultivators and rakes. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Always use clean, sharp snips or pruners and clean them with a bit of rubbing alcohol between plants to avoid spreading any diseases. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Verb

Your best bet is to have a derm cauterize, snip or freeze them off. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 18 Aug. 2026

Gently snip all of the leaves off with pruning shears, leaving two to three leaves at the top. — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

from or akin to Dutch & Low German snip; akin to Middle High German snipfen to snap the fingers

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1558, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1586, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for snip

• blip
• chip
• clip
• dip
• drip
• flip
• grip
• grippe
• hip
• ip
• kip
• lip

Kids Definition

snip

1 of 2 noun

ˈsnip 

1

: a small piece that is snipped off : fragment

2

: an act or sound of snipping

3

: a rude person

snip

2 of 2 verb

snipped; snipping

: to cut or cut off with or as if with shears or scissors

especially : to clip suddenly or by bits