What does tipple mean?
The noun tipple denotes an alcoholic drink, often a small one, while the verb means to drink alcohol, usually in modest amounts or at intervals. The expression has an informal, slightly playful tone: describing someone as having a tipple can sound more casual and less direct than saying they are drinking alcohol. In the verb, tipple can suggest steady or repeated drinking rather than a single large intake, although it does not necessarily imply intoxication. In the noun, a tipple may be any alcoholic drink, including beer, wine, or spirits, depending on context. The word is used in British and American English and appears especially in casual writing, dialogue, and descriptions of social drinking. It can also carry the implication of drinking more than is strictly necessary or of losing control, but that suggestion is contextual rather than inherent. Tipple remains useful because it compresses both the act of drinking and the idea of an alcoholic drink into a concise, characterful expression.
An alcoholic drink, especially a small one.
"The landlord poured each guest a tipple before closing time."
Informal; the word may suggest a casual or social drink.
To drink alcohol, especially in small amounts or repeatedly.
"They spent the evening tippling at the bar."
Informal; often conveys habitual, steady, or repeated drinking and can sometimes suggest drinking too much.
The plural refers to individual alcoholic drinks or quantities of drink.
"The party was stocked with soft drinks and several bottles of tipples."
Tipple sounds gentler than it may be: it can mean a drink, or the act of drinking steadily.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tipple come from?
The word is recorded in English by the early 17th century, both as a noun for an alcoholic drink and as a verb meaning to drink alcohol. Its precise source is uncertain, and its underlying etymological development is disputed. The modern sense of drinking in small or repeated amounts helped establish the word's familiar, informal character.
Related word forms
How tipple is actually used
The word is informal and is used in both British and American English. As a verb, it often suggests drinking steadily, repeatedly, or in small amounts and can sometimes imply that the drinking is habitual or excessive.