chipper

¹ American  

[chip-er] / ˈtʃɪp ər /

adjective

1. marked by or being in sprightly good humor and health.

   Synonyms:

   pert, peppy, jaunty

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chipper ² American  

[chip-er] / ˈtʃɪp ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to chirp or twitter.

2. to chatter or babble.

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chipper ³ American  

[chip-er] / ˈtʃɪp ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that chips or cuts.

2. a machine that grinds up logs, tree trunks, discarded Christmas trees, etc., into wood chips.

3. Slang. a person who uses narcotic drugs only occasionally or in small doses.

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chipper ¹ British  

/ ˈtʃɪpə /

adjective

1. cheerful; lively

2. smartly dressed

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chipper ² British  

/ ˈtʃɪpər /

noun

1. informal a fish-and-chip shop

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Usage

What does chipper mean? Chipper is most commonly used as an adjective meaning upbeat, cheerful, and high-spirited, especially in an outward way. Chipper is used to describe someone’s overall mood or attitude, or their actions. People sometimes get annoyed if they think a person is being too chipper—the word may be used to imply that such cheerfulness is annoying or inappropriate for the situation. As an adjective, it can also mean nicely dressed, though this sense is used much less commonly. Chipper can also be used as a noun referring to a machine that grinds wood (like tree trunks and branches) into chips. This is more commonly called a woodchipper. Less commonly, chipper can be used as a verb meaning to chirp or twitter, like a bird does (a chipping sparrow, perhaps), or to chatter or babble, as in If you leave those two to themselves, they’ll chipper away the entire afternoon. Chipper also has a few slang uses, including as a term for a fish-and-chip shop in Ireland and Scotland. Example: Ironically, I’m at my most chipper when I get to work the woodchipper—there’s just something really satisfying about it.

Etymology

Origin of chipper¹

First recorded in 1830–40; of uncertain origin; perhaps from northern English dialect kipper “lively, frisky”

Origin of chipper²

First recorded in 1705–15; chip ² + -er ⁶

Origin of chipper³

First recorded in 1505–15; chip ¹ + -er ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chipper

Its employees are famous for responding to customers with the relentlessly chipper “My pleasure!”

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

He sounded as chipper as a Chamber of Commerce ad.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

A paper company gave the Howards a wood chipper for their sawmill in the 1960s, and they began supplying pulp mills on the coast.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

And the Conservatives appear more chipper and competitive than a year ago too.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Mr. Gonzalez’ chipper face hardened into a mask of horror, and he squeaked, “Good morning, Mr. Levy. We re so glad to see you.”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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Related Words

• lively
• sprightly

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