# nibble

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈnɪbl̩/ · frequency rank #34,993

## Definitions
1. To take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
2. To lightly bite (a person or animal, or part of their body), especially in a loving or playful manner; to nip.
3. To make (a hole in something) through small bites.
4. To make (one's way) through or while taking small bites.
5. Chiefly followed by into or to: to cause (something) to be in a certain state through small bites.
6. Followed by away, off, etc.: to remove (something) through small bites.
7. Followed by away, off, etc.: to remove (something) through small bites.
8. To fidget or play with (something), especially with the fingers or hands.
9. To catch (someone); to nab.
10. To steal (something); to pilfer.
11. Chiefly followed by at, away, or on: to take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites; to eat (at frequent intervals) with small, quick bites.
12. To lightly bite, especially in a loving or playful manner.
13. Chiefly followed by at: to show slight interest in something, such as a commercial opportunity or a proposal.
14. Followed by away at: to reduce or use up gradually; to eat.
15. Followed by at: of a batter: to make an indecisive attempt to bat a ball bowled outside the off stump.
16. Synonym of tramline (“of a vehicle: to tend to follow the contours of the ground with its wheels”).
17. To fidget or play, especially with the fingers or hands.
18. Chiefly followed by at: to make insignificant complaints; to carp, to cavil, to find fault.
19. To engage in sexual intercourse.

## Etymology
The verb is derived from Late Middle English nebillen, nebyll (“to peck away at (something), nibble; (figurative) to attempt to sing (a part of a song)”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Middle Low German nibbelen (“to eat in small bites, peck”) (modern German Low German nibbeln, gnibbeln, knibbeln), possibly a variant of knabbelen, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gnet- (“to press”) or imitative.
The noun is derived from the verb.
Cognates
* Middle Dutch cnibbelen (modern Dutch knibbelen (“to gnaw; to murmur”), nibbelen (“to nibble”))
* Saterland Frisian nibje (“to nibble”)
* West Frisian knibbelje

## Easily confused with
- **Nile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nibble-vs-nile)
- **noble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nibble-vs-noble)
- **Nicole** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nibble-vs-nicole)
- **nipple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nibble-vs-nipple)
- **nimble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nibble-vs-nimble)
- **nibbles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nibble-vs-nibbles)

## Common misspellings (7)
`inbble`, `nbible`, `nibbel`, `nibblle`, `niblbe`, `nible`, `nnibble`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/nibble