flipper

noun

flip·​per ˈfli-pər 

plural flippers

1

a

: a broad flat limb (as of a seal or cetacean) adapted for swimming

b

: a flat shoe (as of rubber or silicone) with the front expanded into a paddle that is used to aid movement through water (as in snorkeling or scuba diving)

called also fin, swim fin

2

: someone or something that flips or is used in flipping

spatulas and pancake flippers

pinball flippers

He worked as a burger flipper.

A flipper is a person who changes TV channels just to see what else is on.

—Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union

He also interviews house "flippers" who buy cheap property with an eye toward making some inexpensive improvements to spruce it up and then quickly "flipping" it, or reselling it at a value-added price for a tidy profit.

—James Prichard

Examples of flipper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Left hand controls red gates, flippers, and more, while the right controls the blue ones. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2024

Don’t make the mistake that many flippers do; resist the urge to throw down plastic turf. —Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 5 Sep. 2024

Obstructing license plates is a common violation, with some drivers using plate flippers, duct tape or bogus paper tags to avoid detection. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Sep. 2024

Mikey is in the middle of replying to Tommy’s interrogation in his alien language, a puppeteer off camera controlling Mikey’s mouth, eyes and flippers using RC motors while another puppeteer wearing the Mikey costume controls his legs and arms. —Lizz Schumer, People.com, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

flipper

noun

flip·​per ˈflip-ər 

1

: a broad flat limb (as of a seal or whale) used for swimming

2

: a flat rubber shoe with the front widened into a paddle for use in skin diving