quip

[ kwip ]

noun

1. a clever or witty remark or comment.

   Synonyms: witticism, joke

2. a sharp, sarcastic remark; a cutting jest.

   Synonyms: jape, sally, gibe

3. a quibble.
4. an odd or fantastic action or thing.

verb (used without object)

, quipped, quip·ping.

1. to utter quips.

quip

/ kwɪp /

noun

1. a sarcastic or cutting remark; gibe
2. a witty or clever saying

   a merry quip

3. See quibble
   archaic.
   another word for quibble

verb

1. intr to make a quip

Other Words From

• quippish adjective
• quippish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of quip¹

1525–35; back formation from quippy quip < Latin quippe indeed

Word History and Origins

Origin of quip¹

C16: from earlier quippy, probably from Latin quippe indeed, to be sure

Example Sentences

In Season 1, a quip about real-life journeyman manager Harry Redknapp desperately seeking the Richmond job rang true to many a Premier League fan.

From Washington Post

To paraphrase a quip about history often attributed to Mark Twain, geological events don’t repeat themselves but they often rhyme.

From Washington Post

The exchange between the 86-year-old male senator and the much younger female nominee to lead the EPA’s Office of Water was not antagonistic, but drew attention from those who wondered whether he would have made the same quip to a man.

From Washington Post

Passing my desk in a flash, a former manager and resident quip master asked me sternly if I was expecting any other deliveries, or was it safe to get back to work.

From Quartz

Nothing can pull an at-home viewer away from the artistic escape like a quip that plays to crickets, or an applause break turned pregnant pause.

From Washington Post

In one of the moments I chatted briefly with him he made a quip about my work that my mother still quotes to this day.

From The Daily Beast

This man, the man of the left, says in private ‘the toothless,’ proud of his quip.

From The Daily Beast

Pepper, a phrase drawn from a quip by another contender, means a second round in the presidential election, to be held in June.

From The Daily Beast

Within hours of releasing my quip into the Twittersphere, five different publications jumped on it.

From The Daily Beast

That quip reflected his own travails with thinking outside the box.

From The Daily Beast

For a true pun always has a humorous idea behind the verbal quip that is its prominent characteristic.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a relief to hear his own voice in some such apparently light-hearted quip.

From Project Gutenberg

So Andrew Lackaday threw himself back in his chair and laughed at Elodie's quip.

From Project Gutenberg

Smiling, debonair, complacent, the morrow's bridegroom had a careless quip for all and sundry on that last night.

From Project Gutenberg

It was the traveler whose quip was now being repeated miles away, far in advance of him.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• banter
• gag
• gibe
• pleasantry
• pun
• repartee
• retort
• satire
• wisecrack
• witticism