Snip Imitates the Sound of Scissors
To snip is to cut with small quick strokes. In Britain a snip is also a bargain.
To snip is to cut with small quick strokes of scissors; a snip is such a cut, a small piece cut off, or in British informal use a bargain. The word is imitative, from Low German *snippen*, and it belongs to a family of English words that copy cutting sounds: *snip*, *clip*, *snick*, *nick* and *chop* all carry the sharpness of the action in the sound itself. The bargain sense comes from the idea of something cut cheap, and *snippet* is its diminutive.
- A small cut. *A snip of the scissors.*
- To cut. *Snipping the thread.*
- A bargain (British). *It was a snip.*
- Snippet — a small piece. *A snippet.*
- Low German — *snippen*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | snip | Snipping. |
| Noun | snip | A snip. |
| Past | snipped | Snipped. |
| Diminutive | snippet | A snippet. |
| Plural tool | snips | Tin snips. |
- She snipped the ribbon.Cutting.
- At that price it was a snip.British.
- A snippet of conversation.Diminutive.
Imitative cutting words
- Snip — small scissor cuts
- Clip — a quick trimming cut
- Snick — a small sharp cut or sound
- Nick — a small notch
- Chop — a heavy downward cut
From Low German *snippen*, of imitative origin, recorded in English from the 1500s.
Why does snip mean a bargain in Britain?
From the idea of something cut cheap, a price snipped down.
Is snippet related?
Yes. It is the diminutive of snip, meaning a small piece cut off.