How to pronounce nip
Say it like NIP. Nip is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce nip. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NIP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nip pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NIPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of nip
American and British speakers say nip in essentially the same way: /nɪp/ in the US and /nɪp/ in the UK.
British respelling: NIP.
What does nip mean?
- To catch and enclose or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon.
- To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting edges of anything; to clip.
- To benumb [e.g., cheeks, fingers, nose] by severe cold.
- A playful bite.“The puppy gave his owner’s finger a nip.”
- A pinch with the nails or teeth.
- Briskly cold weather.“There is a nip in the air. It is nippy outside.”
- A small amount of food or drink, (particularly) a small amount of liquor.“I’ll just take a nip of that cake.”
Where does nip come from?
Related to Dutch nijpen, knijpen (“to pinch”), Danish nive (“pinch”); Swedish nypa (“pinch”); Low German knipen; German kneipen and kneifen (“to pinch, cut off, nip”), Old Norse hnippa (“to prod, poke”); Lithuanian knebti.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with nip
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of nip.
Questions about saying nip
How do you pronounce nip?
Say NIP. The American pronunciation is /nɪp/. In British English it is /nɪp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nip?
Nip is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NIP.
Do Americans and Brits say nip the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /nɪp/ and the British form is /nɪp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.