What does kipping mean?
“Kipping” most commonly means sleeping, especially taking a short nap or sleeping casually. It is an informal word found chiefly in British and Irish English: “I’m going to kip for an hour” sounds natural, while the same expression may sound unusual in other varieties. The word can also name a momentum-based movement used in climbing, gymnastics, and related activities. In that sense, the climber or gymnast pulls downward on the apparatus while using the body's momentum to rise. Thus, “kipping” can refer both to an everyday, informal period of sleep and to a precise technical movement in physical training. It is a useful example of how one word can belong to both casual speech and specialist terminology, with context determining which meaning is intended.
To sleep, especially for a short time or casually.
"He was kipping for a while before the train arrived."
Informal and chiefly used in British and Irish English.
A momentum-based climbing or gymnastics movement in which the body rises while pulling downward on the supporting apparatus.
"She used a kip to reach the horizontal hold."
Used as specialist terminology in climbing, gymnastics, and related physical activities.
The technical noun is normally used without a plural form.
"The routine was built around controlled kipping and precise balance."
The same word that means nodding off in a bunk describes the climbing technique that helps a climber rise toward the next hold.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kipping come from?
The word derives from “kip,” an informal British word for sleep or a short sleep. “Kip” appeared in the early nineteenth century and may have come from Dutch “kippen,” meaning to sleep or doze, although its precise origin is uncertain. The present-participle form “kipping” developed directly from that base word.
Related word forms
How kipping is actually used
The sleeping sense is informal and associated especially with British and Irish speech. In climbing and gymnastics, “kipping” is standard technical terminology and is not restricted to British usage.