kipper

¹ American  

[kip-er] / ˈkɪp ər /

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.

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verb (used with object)

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

kipper ² American  

[kip-er] / ˈkɪp ər /

noun

Australian Informal.

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

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kipper ¹ British  

/ 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

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verb

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

kipper ² British  

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

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

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kipper ³ British  

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

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

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Etymology

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”

Example Sentences

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

From Literature

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.

From BBC

We learned that kippers is a whole herring that has been sliced in half, gutted, salted or pickled, then smoked and was once popular in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

From Salon

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

From BBC

A veritable slap in the face with a wet kipper.

From BBC

Related Words

• dry
• preserve
• smoke