Word
quip
US/ˈkwɪp/
UK/kwˈɪp/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a short, clever and funny remark. You say it quickly in conversation to make people laugh or think.
n. a concise, witty remark or observation, typically delivered spontaneously in conversation or writing.
Examples
“She makes a quick quip about the cold coffee.”
“During the meeting, he lightens the mood with a quip about the broken printer.”
“The columnist closes her review with a dry quip that softens the criticism while making her main point unforgettable.”
Examples
simple
“She makes a quick quip about the cold coffee.”
contextual
“During the meeting, he lightens the mood with a quip about the broken printer.”
complex
“The columnist closes her review with a dry quip that softens the criticism while making her main point unforgettable.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “quip” in context.
Verb
01. deliver quip
“She delivered a quip with perfect timing and stole the show.”
verb + noun
02. exchange quip
“The two hosts exchanged quips throughout the live debate.”
verb + noun
03. laugh at quip
“Everyone laughed at his quip about Monday meetings.”
verb + prep + noun
04. offer quip
“He offered a quip about the traffic to break the silence.”
verb + noun
05. quip backfires
“Her quip backfired when nobody understood the reference.”
noun + verb
06. quip lands
“When his quip landed, the entire room burst into laughter.”
noun + verb
Adjective
07. cutting quip
“The critic is famous for a cutting quip in every review.”
adj + noun
08. dry quip
“Her dry quip about the rain made the whole audience smile.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. exchange of quips
“Their friendly exchange of quips kept the interview lively.”
noun + prep + noun
10. a cutting quip about politics
“The column opened with a cutting quip about politics in the capital.”
11. deliver a deadpan quip
“She delivered a deadpan quip that left the audience in stitches.”
12. greet criticism with a quip
“She greeted the criticism with a quip and moved on gracefully.”
Etymology
From a shortening of earlier quippy, perhaps from Latin quippe (“indeed”), ultimately quid (“what”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/quip