snippet

American  

[snip-it] / ˈsnɪp ɪt /

noun

1. a small piece snipped off; a small bit, scrap, or fragment.

   an anthology of snippets.

2. Informal. a small or insignificant person.

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snippet British  

/ ˈsnɪpɪt /

noun

1. a small scrap or fragment

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• snippety
  adjective
• snippetiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of snippet

First recorded in 1655–65; snip + -et

Explanation

A snippet is a tiny piece. You might only have time to read a snippet of "Moby Dick" before your early English class — just enough to know it's a book about a whale. While a snippet can be a literal fragment of something, like a snippet of hair clipped off the end of your dog's tail, the word is often used to talk about less physical bits. You may get a snippet of information by watching TV news with the sound turned off, or end your writing workshop with just a snippet of an idea for your screenplay. It comes from snip, with its Low German root snippen, "to snip or shred."

Example Sentences

The mRNA vaccine and the Oxford vaccine both deliver a snippet of genetic code into the body.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

Another snippet I overheard in Studio City: “You gotta make music from the heart, man, and the label will feel it.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

“We taxed the rich,” he said in the clip, which references a snippet of the Griffin video.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

That snippet of anthropological absurdism mutated into the brain-melting TV show “How to With John Wilson,” and now, the Emmy-nominated prankster-humanist has a feature playing on opening night.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

It was extraordinary, she told herself, how this little snippet of a girl seemed suddenly to be taking charge of her problems, and with such authority, too.

From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl

Related Words

• bit
• fragment
• morsel
• smidgen