What does chipped mean?
"Chipped" describes something that has lost a small fragment from its edge or surface, usually by accident. A chipped mug, a chipped tooth, or chipped paint all bear the same telltale mark: a small, rough nick where material once was intact. The word functions primarily as an adjective but also serves as the past tense and past participle of the verb "chip," which can describe either accidental damage or deliberate removal of small pieces, as when a sculptor chips away at stone. Its connotations are usually negative in domestic contexts — chipped crockery suggests wear, carelessness, or age — though in craft and sport contexts it can imply skillful precision, as in golf, where a player chips a ball in a short, controlled arc. Derived ultimately from an Old English word meaning a thin piece of wood, "chipped" remains a compact, everyday word that captures one of the most common forms minor damage takes.
Having a small piece broken off an edge, corner, or surface, leaving a rough nick or notch.
"He winced as he ran his tongue over his newly chipped front tooth."
Commonly used before nouns such as cup, plate, tooth, paint, tile, and nail.
Past tense and past participle of 'chip': to have broken a small piece off something, or to have removed small fragments, either accidentally or deliberately.
"The movers chipped the edge of the marble mantel while carrying it upstairs."
Can describe both unintentional damage ('she chipped her tooth') and intentional workmanship ('he chipped away at the rock face').
That 'chipped tooth' dentists charge a fortune to fix comes from an Old English word for a wooden splinter — your enamel and firewood share a vocabulary.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chipped
"Chipped" derives from the verb "chip," which traces back to the Middle English "chyp," from the Old English "cipp," meaning a thin piece of wood or a splinter. The root sense of a small fragment split from a larger whole has remained remarkably stable across a millennium of use. The verb's figurative extension, as in "chip away at" a problem, developed later from the literal action of breaking off small fragments.
Related word forms
How chipped is actually used
Most often used attributively before a noun ('a chipped mug', 'chipped paint'). In British informal usage, 'chipped' can also describe food cooked in the style of chips (fried potato strips), as in 'chipped potatoes'.
Easily confused with chipped
'Chipped' means a small piece has broken off an edge or surface, while 'chopped' means deliberately cut into pieces with a blade.
'Clipped' means trimmed or cut short, whereas 'chipped' refers to accidental breakage leaving a small notch.