1
a
: a disorder of a bird marked by formation of a scale or crust on the tongue
b
: the scale or crust of this disorder
2
a
: any of various human ailments
especially
: a slight nonspecific disorder
b
chiefly British
: a feeling of irritation or annoyance
pipped; pipping
2
: to break through the shell of the egg
the chick pipped
: to break open (the shell of an egg) in hatching
1
a
: one of the dots used on dice and dominoes to indicate numerical value
b
2
a
b
: spike entry 1 sense 6a
also
: blip
3
: an individual rootstock of the lily of the valley
4
: a diamond-shaped insignia of rank worn by a second lieutenant, lieutenant, or captain in the British army
1
: a small fruit seed
especially
: one of a several-seeded fleshy fruit
2
: one extraordinary of its kind
chiefly British
: a short high-pitched tone
Examples of pip in a Sentence
Noun (1)
listening to all that chat show blather gives me the pip
Verb (1)
baby birds pipping loudly in their nest
Noun (2)
a black horse with white pips
Noun (3)
that new sports car is a real pip
Recent Examples on the Web
Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Eaglets make a pip — or a crack in the egg — as the chick hatches.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Eaglets make a pip — or a crack in the egg — as the chick hatches.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Eaglets make a pip — or a crack in the egg — as the chick hatches.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Lisa Respers France, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025
Last year’s recipient of the award, Baldur’s Gate 3 (which pipped Alan Wake II to the gong) takes its world and gameplay mechanics from the pages of a Dungeons and Dragons rulebook.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Nor did the visiting players arrive with an inflatable trophy to goad Wrexham over being pipped to the league title by Dave Challinor’s side, as had happened in each of the last two seasons when these two clubs had gone head-to-head for promotion.
—Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Enjoyment might be too strong, but Liverpool are not feeling too sorry for a rival that has pipped them to two league titles suffering a difficult campaign.
—Sam Lee, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
The Italian team last constructors’ title came a year later, incidentally when the Briton secured his first world crown in an exhilarating finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix, pipping local hero Felipe Massa to the championship by the barest of margins.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
James McAvoy won best British humor Madison’s win was all the more notable given that David Jonsson pipped her (and his Industry costar Marisa Abela) to the Rising Star Award, presented by James McAvoy.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2025
Liverpool, currently on course for the title, were in the ‘stunk the place out this summer’ category, while in the rankings of which club had the best window, West Ham United were narrowly pipped to top spot by, er, Manchester United.
—Michael Cox, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025
They were pipped by Brian Clough’s Derby County, who snuck it by a point.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Noun
Eaglets make a pip — or a crack in the egg — as the chick hatches.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Eaglets make a pip — or a crack in the egg — as the chick hatches.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Eaglets make a pip — or a crack in the egg — as the chick hatches.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Eaglets make a pip — or a crack in the egg — as the chick hatches.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Another pip – that initial crack of an eggshell as a chick begins to hatch – was reported in a second egg Tuesday as Jackie and Shadow took turns carefully watching the hatchling’s progress.
—Devyn Byers, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
The actress has been making the rounds conducting interviews and the tea is pipping hot.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025
Last year’s recipient of the award, Baldur’s Gate 3 (which pipped Alan Wake II to the gong) takes its world and gameplay mechanics from the pages of a Dungeons and Dragons rulebook.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Nor did the visiting players arrive with an inflatable trophy to goad Wrexham over being pipped to the league title by Dave Challinor’s side, as had happened in each of the last two seasons when these two clubs had gone head-to-head for promotion.
—Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Enjoyment might be too strong, but Liverpool are not feeling too sorry for a rival that has pipped them to two league titles suffering a difficult campaign.
—Sam Lee, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
The Italian team last constructors’ title came a year later, incidentally when the Briton secured his first world crown in an exhilarating finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix, pipping local hero Felipe Massa to the championship by the barest of margins.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
James McAvoy won best British humor Madison’s win was all the more notable given that David Jonsson pipped her (and his Industry costar Marisa Abela) to the Rising Star Award, presented by James McAvoy.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2025
Liverpool, currently on course for the title, were in the ‘stunk the place out this summer’ category, while in the rankings of which club had the best window, West Ham United were narrowly pipped to top spot by, er, Manchester United.
—Michael Cox, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025
They were pipped by Brian Clough’s Derby County, who snuck it by a point.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pip. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pip
1 of 3 verb
pipped; pipping
1
: to break through the shell of the egg in hatching
2
: to be broken by a pipping bird
eggs starting to pip
pip
2 of 3 noun1
: a dot or spot (as on dice or playing cards) that indicates numerical value
2
: blip
pip
3 of 3 noun1
: a small fruit seed
apple pips
2
: something very good of its kind
Etymology
Verb
imitative word
Noun
origin unknown
Noun
a shortened form of pippin "a kind of apple"
Medical Definition
pip
noun
: the formation of a scale or crust on the tip and dorsal surface of the tongue of a bird often associated with respiratory diseases
also
: the scale or crust itself
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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