snippet

American  

[snip-it] / ˈsnɪp ɪt /

noun

1. a small piece snipped off; a small bit, scrap, or fragment.

   an anthology of snippets.

2. Informal. a small or insignificant person.

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snippet British  

/ ˈsnɪpɪt /

noun

1. a small scrap or fragment

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Other Word Forms

• snippetiness noun
• snippety adjective

Etymology

Origin of snippet

First recorded in 1655–65; snip + -et

Explanation

A snippet is a tiny piece. You might only have time to read a snippet of "Moby Dick" before your early English class — just enough to know it's a book about a whale. While a snippet can be a literal fragment of something, like a snippet of hair clipped off the end of your dog's tail, the word is often used to talk about less physical bits. You may get a snippet of information by watching TV news with the sound turned off, or end your writing workshop with just a snippet of an idea for your screenplay. It comes from snip, with its Low German root snippen, "to snip or shred."

Example Sentences

“This has been in many respects a trial by snippet and insinuation,” Marriott said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Bryan was the third-most-popular artist of 2024 in the U.S., according to Billboard, which helps explain why his musical snippet elicited a swift, forceful response from government officials.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

That snippet of anthropological absurdism mutated into the brain-melting TV show “How to With John Wilson,” and now, the Emmy-nominated prankster-humanist has a feature playing on opening night.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

But others say it can be effective in helping us find a snippet of calm in a busy, intense world.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025

They only showed him a short snippet of the video, but it was enough.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

Related Words

• bit
• fragment
• morsel
• smidgen