tippet

noun

tip·​pet ˈti-pət 

1

: a long hanging end of cloth attached to a sleeve, cap, or hood

2

: a shoulder cape of fur or cloth often with hanging ends

3

: a long black scarf worn over the robe by Anglican clergy during morning and evening prayer

4

fishing : a short length of material (such as gut, nylon, or horsehair) attached at the thinnest end of a tapered leader (see leader sense 2e(2)) and used to secure an artificial fly

Examples of tippet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Any full floating line will suffice for these fish, but leader and tippet sizes will naturally vary by fly size and carp size. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 Apr. 2026

That is a tiny lure with a narrow eyelet that rebuffs multiple attempts to thread tippet that's as fine as spider web silk. — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026

Understanding tippet weight and learning knots can be overwhelming. — Francesca Krempa, Outside, 23 Dec. 2025

Line class, tippet class, and length records for Florida-strain fish will still be eligible for records in the largemouth bass category. — Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 19 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tipet

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tippet

• pipit
• snippet
• incipit

Kids Definition

tippet

noun

tip·​pet ˈtip-ət 

1

: a long hanging part of a garment (as on a sleeve or cape)

2

: a shoulder cape usually with hanging ends