nippy

/ˈnɪpi/

//ˈnɪpi// adj

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

"nippy" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“nippy” is an uncommon English word, ranked #60,991 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#60,991
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Fast; speedy.

Key facts for nippy
PropertyValue
Headwordnippy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈnɪpi/
Letters5
Frequency rank#60,991
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nippy” 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). nippy 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 nippy is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈnɪpi/. Corpus data places it at rank #60,991 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for nippy, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From nip + -y. The correct English form is nippy, spelled N-I-P-P-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Fast; speedy.
  2. 2
    Rather cold.
  3. 3
    Inclined to nip; bitey.
  4. 4
    Annoying; irritating.
  5. 5
    Sharp in taste.
  6. 6
    Spicy tasting.
  7. 7
    Curt.
  8. 8
    Parsimonious.

Etymology

From nip + -y.

This word in other languages

frisquet(Français)kühl(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 "nippy"?
"nippy" is spelled N-I-P-P-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnɪpi/.
What does "nippy" mean?
As an adjective, "nippy" means: Fast; speedy.
How do you pronounce "nippy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nippy" is /ˈnɪpi/. 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 "nippy"?
From nip + -y. 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 “nippy”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is N-I-P-P-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈnɪpi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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