What does clip mean?
Clip is a versatile English word functioning as both noun and verb. As a noun, it most commonly denotes a small device — usually of metal or plastic — that grips or fastens objects together, as in a paper clip or hair clip, and it also refers to a short excerpt from a film, video, or audio recording. As a verb, it carries two principal senses: to fasten or attach something with a clip, and to trim or cut away a small portion, as when clipping hair, nails, or hedges. The word also appears in the idiomatic expression 'at a good clip,' meaning at a brisk pace or rate. Clip is neutral in register, appearing equally in everyday conversation, technical writing, and media contexts. Its brevity and range of practical meanings make it one of those compact English words that packs several unrelated-seeming senses into four letters, all traceable to the core idea of gripping or cutting.
A small device, typically of metal or plastic, used to hold things together firmly.
"She reached for a paper clip to keep the documents bundled."
Also commonly used for a short excerpt from film, video, or audio.
To fasten or attach with a clip, or to cut off a small piece from something.
"He clipped the microphone to his lapel before the interview."
Standard plural form, used when referring to multiple fastening devices or multiple excerpts.
"The editor reviewed several clips from the day's footage."
The same short word that holds your papers together also means to run 'at a good clip' — an old nautical term for speed that survives in everyday English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of clip
Clip comes from Old Norse 'klippa,' meaning to cut, which entered English during the Middle English period. The sense of a fastening device developed later, likely from the notion of something that grips or clasps tightly. The verb's two main senses — to cut and to fasten — both descend from this Germanic root, which also gave rise to related words like 'clipper' and 'clipping.' The nautical sense of speed ('at a good clip') emerged from the era of fast sailing ships known as clippers in the nineteenth century.
Related word forms
How clip is actually used
As a verb, clip has two distinct meanings — attaching and cutting — which are usually disambiguated by context. The phrase 'at a good clip' meaning briskly is informal but widely understood in both British and American English. In American English, 'clip' can also informally refer to a magazine of ammunition, though strictly speaking a magazine and a clip are different devices.
Easily confused with clip
Clop is the hollow sound of a horse's hooves on pavement, whereas clip refers to a fastening device or the act of cutting or attaching.