kipper

¹

[kip-er]

noun

1. a fish, especially a herring, that has been cured by splitting, salting, drying, and smoking.

2. this method of curing fish.

3. a male salmon during or after the spawning season.

verb (used with object)

1. to cure (herring, salmon, etc.) by splitting, salting, drying and smoking.

kipper

²

[kip-er]

noun

Australian Informal.

1. a young Aboriginal male, usually 14 to 16 years old, who has recently undergone his tribal initiation rite.

kipper

¹

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

1. a fish, esp a herring, that has been cleaned, salted, and smoked

2. a male salmon during the spawning season

3. archaic,  an Englishman

verb

1. (tr) to cure (a fish, esp a herring) by salting and smoking

kipper

²

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

1. a native Australian youth who has completed an initiation rite

kipper

³

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

1. informal,  an adult who cannot afford to move away from his or her parents' home

Word History and Origins

Origin of kipper¹

before 1000; Middle English kypre, Old English cypera spawning salmon, apparently derivative of cyperen of copper, i.e., copper-colored

Origin of kipper²

First recorded in 1835–45, kipper is from the Wiradjuri word gibirr “man”

Word History and Origins

Origin of kipper¹

Old English cypera, perhaps from coper _copper ¹ ; referring to its colour

Origin of kipper²

from a native Australian language

Origin of kipper³

C21: from k ( ids ) i ( n ) p ( arents' ) p ( ockets ) e ( roding ) r ( etirement ) ( savings )

Example Sentences

Oatmeal cake was a tolerable idea, but the possibility of kipper cake made them gag.

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Britain's longest-serving Royal Mail postman has recalled hand-delivering turkeys, kippers and last-minute gifts for Christmas as his record 60 years comes to an end.

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"Every culture has their own techniques to preserve fish, so we thought to take this kippers idea and turn it into a global gateway of ingredients."

Read more on Salon

That game last year was rugby's equivalent of a slap across the face with a wet kipper.

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A veritable slap in the face with a wet kipper.

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Related Words

• dry 
• preserve 
• smoke