kipper

¹

[ kip-er ]

noun

1. a fish, especially a herring, that has been cured by splitting, salting, drying, and smoking.
2. this method of curing fish.
3. a male salmon during or after the spawning season.

verb (used with object)

1. to cure (herring, salmon, etc.) by splitting, salting, drying and smoking.

kipper

²

[ kip-er ]

noun

, Australian Informal.

1. a young Aboriginal male, usually 14 to 16 years old, who has recently undergone his tribal initiation rite.

kipper

¹

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

1. informal.
   an adult who cannot afford to move away from his or her parents' home

kipper

²

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

1. a fish, esp a herring, that has been cleaned, salted, and smoked
2. a male salmon during the spawning season
3. archaic.
   an Englishman

verb

1. tr to cure (a fish, esp a herring) by salting and smoking

kipper

³

/ ˈkɪpə /

noun

1. a native Australian youth who has completed an initiation rite

Word History and Origins

Origin of kipper¹

before 1000; Middle English kypre, Old English cypera spawning salmon, apparently derivative of cyperen of copper, i.e., copper-colored

Origin of kipper²

First recorded in 1835–45, kipper is from the Wiradjuri word gibirr “man”

Word History and Origins

Origin of kipper¹

C21: from k ( ids ) i ( n ) p ( arents' ) p ( ockets ) e ( roding ) r ( etirement ) ( savings )

Origin of kipper²

Old English cypera, perhaps from coper copper ¹; referring to its colour

Origin of kipper³

from a native Australian language

Example Sentences

"Every culture has their own techniques to preserve fish, so we thought to take this kippers idea and turn it into a global gateway of ingredients."

From Salon

That game last year was rugby's equivalent of a slap across the face with a wet kipper.

From BBC

A veritable slap in the face with a wet kipper.

From BBC

He brandished a smoked kipper, ridiculing the European Union for the regulation requiring such fish to be shipped on ice pillows — a regulation written by the British government.

From Washington Post

Henry even brought a microwave from home so Tuffers could enjoy some warm kippers for breakfast.

From BBC

Related Words

• dry
• preserve
• smoke