dipper

[ dip-er ]

noun

1. a person or thing that dips.
2. a cuplike container with a long handle, used for dipping liquids.
3. (initial capital letter) Astronomy.
   1. Big Dipper.
   2. Little Dipper.
4. Ornithology. Also called water ouzel. any small, stocky diving bird of the family Cinclidae, related to the thrushes, especially Cinclus aquaticus of Europe and C. mexicanus of western North America, having dense, oilyplumage and frequenting rapid streams and rivers.
5. South Midland and Southern U.S. a person who uses snuff.

dipper

/ ˈdɪpə /

noun

1. a ladle used for dipping
2. Also calledwater ouzel any aquatic songbird of the genus Cinclus and family Cinclidae, esp C. cinclus. They inhabit fast-flowing streams and resemble large wrens
3. See pickpocket
   a slang word for pickpocket
4. a person or thing that dips, such as the mechanism for directing car headlights downwards
5. a small metal cup clipped onto a painter's palette for holding diluent or medium
6. archaic.
   an Anabaptist

Word History and Origins

Origin of dipper¹

1350–1400; Middle English: diving bird; dip ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

If you can spot the Big Dipper, follow along the curve of the handle with your eyes focusing beyond it.

From Popular-Science

First, understand that the Big Dipper isn’t a constellation.

From Outside Online

In December 1995, the telescope’s director, Robert Williams, decided to train the observatory on a tiny, dark patch of sky near the handle of the Big Dipper for 10 consecutive days.

From Science News

Most people smoke a dipper and chill, but I would smoke like six a night.

From The Daily Beast

"No sabby lead chop till ploddem withee dipper," explained the Chinaman, imperturbably.

From Project Gutenberg

Taking a long-handled dipper, Arthur half-filled it with the bait and threw it as far as he could out toward the school of fish.

From Project Gutenberg

Like a flash she darted across to the house, caught up a dipper and filled it from the water-pail.

From Project Gutenberg

And whenever at work he happened to spy At chink or crevice a blinking eye, He let the dipper of water fly.

From Project Gutenberg

He is the only member of the dipper family in North America.

From Project Gutenberg