nip

/nɪp/

//nɪp// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"nip" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“nip” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,149 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#19,149
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To catch and enclose or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

nip vs NJ
0% similar
nip vs nm
33% similar
nip vs NZ
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for nip
PropertyValue
Headwordnip
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/nɪp/
Letters3
Frequency rank#19,149
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nip” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). nip lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for nip is 3 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /nɪp/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,149 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for nip in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "NJ", "nm", "NZ", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From late Middle English nippen, probably of Low German or Dutch origin, probably a byform of earlier *knippen (suggested by the derivative Middle English knippette (“pincers”)), from Middle Low German knîpen, from Old Saxon *knīpan, from Proto-West Germani… The correct English form is nip, spelled N-I-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    To catch and enclose or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon.
  2. 2
    To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting edges of anything; to clip.
  3. 3
    To benumb [e.g., cheeks, fingers, nose] by severe cold.
  4. 4
    To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor of; to destroy.
  5. 5
    To annoy, as by nipping.
  6. 6
    To taunt.
  7. 7
    To squeeze or pinch.
  8. 8
    To steal; especially to cut a purse.
  9. 9
    To affect [one] painfully; to cause physical pain.'

Etymology

From late Middle English nippen, probably of Low German or Dutch origin, probably a byform of earlier *knippen (suggested by the derivative Middle English knippette (“pincers”)), from Middle Low German knîpen, from Old Saxon *knīpan, from Proto-West Germanic *knīpan, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *knīpaną (“to pinch”). Related to Dutch nijpen, knijpen (“to pinch”), Danish nive (“pinch”); Swedish nypa (“pinch”); Low German knipen; German kneipen and kneifen (“to pinch, cut off, nip”), Old Norse hnippa (“to prod, poke”); Lithuanian knebti.

This word in other languages

kneifen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "nip"?
"nip" is spelled N-I-P. The IPA pronunciation is /nɪp/.
What does "nip" mean?
As a verb, "nip" means: To catch and enclose or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon.
What words are commonly confused with "nip"?
"nip" is commonly confused with "NJ", "nm", "NZ". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "nip"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nip" is /nɪp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "nip"?
From late Middle English nippen, probably of Low German or Dutch origin, probably a byform of earlier *knippen (suggested by the derivative Middle English knippette (“pincers”)), from Middle Low German knîpen, from Old Saxon *knīpan, from Proto-We... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “nip”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is N-I-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /nɪp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “NJ” - see the side-by-side comparison. nip vs NJ
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list