Link Centre Dictionary

clipper

clip·per

US/ˈklɪp.ə/ uncommon informal obsolete slang

noun

1.

(electronics) an nonlinear electronic circuit whose output is limited in amplitude; used to limit the instantaneous amplitude of a waveform (to clip off the peaks of a waveform)

  • “a limiter introduces amplitude distortion”
Synonyms
2.
3.
4.

scissors for cutting hair or finger nails

Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English clipper, equivalent to clip (“cut, shorten”) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns). The type of sailing ship is probably also from clip, in the sense of “move or run rapidly”. Perhaps influenced by Middle Dutch klepper (“swift horse”), from kleppen (“to clap”), which is onomatopoeic.

Phrases

  • Alberta clipper
  • Baltimore clipper
  • Canadian clipper
  • clipper system
  • Colorado clipper
  • nail clipper
  • tea clipper

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.