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• pip
  pip

  noun

  one of the spots on dice, playing cards, or dominoes.
• Pip
  Pip

  noun

  a male given name, form of Philip.

pip

¹ American  

[pip] / pɪp /

noun

1. one of the spots on dice, playing cards, or dominoes.

   You need to match the two pips on this domino with two pips on one of your dominoes.

2. each of the small segments into which the surface of a pineapple is divided.

   Cut off the top of the pineapple, slicing through the first row of pips.

3. Informal. metal insigne of rank on the shoulders of commissioned officers.

   the museum's collection of German pips and buttons.

4. Horticulture.

   1. an individual rootstock of a plant, especially of the lily of the valley.

      This low-growing perennial forms dense clumps from its slender pips.

   2. a portion of the rootstock or root of several other plants.

      The peony's pips are those budlike growths at the top of the tuber.

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pip ² American  

[pip] / pɪp /

noun

1. Veterinary Pathology: Older Use. a contagious disease of birds, especially poultry, characterized by the secretion of a thick mucus in the mouth and throat.

   The last thing they wanted to find in the henhouse was a chicken with pip.

2. Facetious. Usually the pip any minor or unspecified ailment in a person.

   Oh, no, not that annoying neighbor—he gives me the pip.

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pip ³ American  

[pip] / pɪp /

noun

1. a small seed, especially of a fleshy fruit, as an apple or orange.

   Does the juicer remove the pips or just grind them up?

2. Also called pipperoo.  Informal. someone or something wonderful.

   Last night's party was a pip.

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pip ⁴ American  

[pip] / pɪp /

verb (used without object)

pipped, pipping

1. to peep or chirp.

   Listen to those chicks pip!

2. (of a hatching bird) to break out from the shell.

   How long before the eaglets start pipping?

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verb (used with object)

pipped, pipping

1. to crack or chip a hole through (the shell), as a hatching bird.

   All but one of the new brood has pipped through their shells.

pip ⁵ American  

[pip] / pɪp /

noun

Electronics.

1. blip.

   observing the radar screen for unusual pips.

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pip ⁶ American  

[pip] / pɪp /

verb (used with object)

British Slang.

pipped, pipping

1. to blackball.

   Are you telling me I've been pipped from the entire music industry?

2. to defeat (an opponent).

   No one expected our team to pip those hotshots from Birmingham.

3. to shoot, especially to wound or kill by a gunshot.

   Get that pistol out of here before someone gets pipped.

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Pip ⁷ American  

[pip] / pɪp /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Philip.

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pip ¹ British  

/ pɪp /

noun

1. a short high-pitched sound, a sequence of which can act as a time signal, esp on radio

2. a radar blip

3. 1. a spot or single device, such as a spade, diamond, heart, or club on a playing card

   2. any of the spots on dice or dominoes

4. Also called: star.  informal the emblem worn on the shoulder by junior officers in the British Army, indicating their rank

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verb

1. 1. (intr) to chirp; peep

   2. to pierce (the shell of its egg) while hatching

2. (intr) to make a short high-pitched sound

pip ² British  

/ pɪp /

noun

1. a contagious disease of poultry characterized by the secretion of thick mucus in the mouth and throat

2. facetious a minor human ailment

3. slang a bad temper or depression (esp in the phrase give ( someone ) the pip )

4. informal to sulk

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verb

1. slang to cause to be annoyed or depressed

pip ³ British  

/ pɪp /

noun

1. the seed of a fleshy fruit, such as an apple or pear

2. any of the segments marking the surface of a pineapple

3. a rootstock or flower of the lily of the valley or certain other plants

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pip ⁴ British  

/ pɪp /

verb

1. to wound or kill, esp with a gun

2. to defeat (a person), esp when his success seems certain (often in the phrase pip at the post )

3. to blackball or ostracize

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Etymology

Origin of pip¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier peep; origin uncertain

Origin of pip²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English pippe, from Middle Dutch, from unattested Vulgar Latin pipita, for Latin pītuīta “phlegm, pip”

Origin of pip³

First recorded in 1590–1600; 1910–15 pip ³ for def. 2; short for pippin

Origin of pip⁴

First recorded in 1650–60; variant of peep ²

Origin of pip⁵

First recorded in 1940–45; imitative

Origin of pip⁶

First recorded in 1875–80; perhaps special use of pip ¹, in metaphorical sense of a small ball

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pip Pip pipped pipping

If they are to pip European champions Spain to the crown, they will need Lionel Messi to be at his best.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

They succeeded occasionally—Liverpool managed to pip him to a couple of championships—but Guardiola’s City took the title in six of the past eight years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

Hatching is underway, and it can take 24 to 48 hours to complete after the first pip, the nonprofit said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

Schjelderup drilled in his second early in the second period, although Real pulled one back through Mbappe, leaving Benfica needing to score again to pip Marseille to the last play-off spot.

From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026

Kyle half expected the guy to say “pip pip, cheerio” or something.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

Instead, it commissioned a review into Pip led by Sir Stephen, the minister for social security and disability, to make recommendations that would make it "fit and fair for the future".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Those who apply for Pip but are not awarded it can ask the department to look again at the decision.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Pip is a payment for people under state pension age who need help with daily activities or getting around, due to a long-term illness or disability.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Pip is paid to 3.7 million people with long-term physical or mental health conditions in England and Wales.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

“I ain’t a-going,” said Joe, from behind his sleeve, “to tell him nothink o’ that natur, Pip.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Villa pulled off a real coup when they pipped Newcastle to Freiburg's 20-year-old midfielder Johan Manzambi, who was a stand-out performer for Switzerland at the World Cup.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Despite being overhauled and pipped to silver by her team-mate in a dramatic finish, Hodgkinson celebrated together with Hunter Bell on the track.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli pipped Red Bull's Max Verstappen to pole position in a gripping qualifying session at the Monaco Grand Prix.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

Until this year, the tightest margin of victory belonged to Al Unser, Jr., who pipped Scott Goodyear to the line by 0.043 seconds in 1992.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026

And as she went, the paralysis which had pipped Archie released its hold.

From Indiscretions of Archie by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse

Having taken five years out from the sport before returning during the Covid-19 pandemic, she took 1500m bronze at the Paris Olympics before pipping Hodgkinson to silver at last year's World Championships in the 800m.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

McClenaghan won gold eight years ago, pipping England's Max Whitlock - who has been forced to withdraw from these Games with injury - before collecting silver in Birmingham four years ago.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

World number one Nelly Korda won her first US Women's Open title, pipping England's Charley Hull to victory by a single shot.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

Johnson had never claimed a podium spot in Cortina before Sunday but outshone the rest of the field from sixth on the starting list, pipping Germany's rising star Emma Aicher by just 0.04sec.

From Barron's ● Feb. 8, 2026

He had at that time a pig which was ready for pipping; she had a litter of seven, and they all died.

From Animal Ghosts Or, Animal Hauntings and the Hereafter by Elliott O'Donnell

Related Words

• kernel
• pit
• seed