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
The four eagles and nearly 80,000 viewers on the stream eagerly anticipate a pip in the third egg, which was laid a few days after those of its nascent siblings.
—Anusha Praturu, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
After two years of human heartbreak, Jackie and Shadow’s fans are celebrating the pips.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
At the 8-minute mark, add an individual Hershey’s pip onto each cookie and rotate the baking sheet.
—Kermilia White, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Set aside 22 pips for garnish; roughly chop the remaining candy.
—Kermilia White, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Some wine jars dating back 5,000 years ago containing pips and residues have also been discovered in Egypt.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 26 Sep. 2024
Like shields, your primary weapons are enhanced when five pips of the weapon gauge are filled.
—PCMAG, 14 Aug. 2024
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
The actress has been making the rounds conducting interviews and the tea is pipping hot.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 6 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
But he is just pipped by Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk.
—Andy Jones, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
Predictions Waters and Fahey advance out of the top half, while Parenteau pips Buckner for the group from the bottom half.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
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
The four eagles and nearly 80,000 viewers on the stream eagerly anticipate a pip in the third egg, which was laid a few days after those of its nascent siblings.
—Anusha Praturu, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
After two years of human heartbreak, Jackie and Shadow’s fans are celebrating the pips.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
At the 8-minute mark, add an individual Hershey’s pip onto each cookie and rotate the baking sheet.
—Kermilia White, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Set aside 22 pips for garnish; roughly chop the remaining candy.
—Kermilia White, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Some wine jars dating back 5,000 years ago containing pips and residues have also been discovered in Egypt.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 26 Sep. 2024
Like shields, your primary weapons are enhanced when five pips of the weapon gauge are filled.
—PCMAG, 14 Aug. 2024
Verb
Florida Atlantic transfer guard Nick Boyd was named second-team all-conference but, curiously, was pipped for newcomer of the year by a guy on the third team, Wyoming guard Obi Agbim.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
The actress has been making the rounds conducting interviews and the tea is pipping hot.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 6 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
But he is just pipped by Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk.
—Andy Jones, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
Predictions Waters and Fahey advance out of the top half, while Parenteau pips Buckner for the group from the bottom half.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Pip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pip. Accessed 25 Mar. 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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