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quip

UK/kwɪp/US/kwɪp/
nounC1Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #13,552 of 15,258neutral

Other forms: quips

A quip is a quick witty remark. A dry quip, quip back, a well-timed quip.

The speed is essential, since a quip is a reply rather than a joke prepared in advance. It works as a verb too, and quipped is the standard word for reporting one.

Definitions of quip

  1. 1nounquipA quick witty remark.C1

    “When asked about his age, he replied with a quick quip that made everyone laugh.”

quip is a remark.

Where it comes from

Perhaps from Latin quippe, meaning indeed, used sarcastically.

  1. Latin

    quippe — indeed

  2. English, today

    quip

Built from

  • quid · Latin — what

From a shortening of earlier quippy, perhaps from Latin quippe (“indeed”), ultimately quid (“what”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

quip in the wild

  • Forms of wit include the quip, repartee, and wisecrack.

    Wit

  • Cullen Hightower was a well-known quotation and quip writer from the United States.

    Cullen Hightower

  • The title derives from Crisp's quip about being an art model; employed by art colleges, models are ultimately paid by the Department for Education.

    The Naked Civil Servant (book)

  • A joke is a humorous question, short story or quip.

    Joke (disambiguation)

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.