flipper
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flipper¹
- /ˈflɪpə/ UK
- /ˈflɪpɚ/ US
Rhymes with -ɪpə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From flip + -er. Compare Saterland Frisian Flappert (“flipper, wing”).
noun flippers
- In marine mammals such as whales (or other secondarily aquatic animals such as sea turtles), a wide, flat limb adapted for swimming.
-
A wide, flat, paddle-like rubber covering for the foot, used in swimming.
Similar: swim fin
- A flat lever in a pinball machine, triggered by the player to strike the ball and keep it in play. Early pinball machines demanded that a player shake the entire table in an effort to guide the ball through the obstacles (pins—hence the name). Later iterations had mechanical flippers like today's, but more of them—six, which were distributed three on each side up and down the body of the machine.
- A small flat used to support a larger one. The flipper is designed to give support by standing at a 90-degree angle to the flat. It probably gets its name from its appearance: cut out like a piece of profile scenery, it resembles the flipper of a marine animal, […]
- A type of ball bowled by a leg spin bowler, which spins backwards and skids off the pitch with a low bounce.
- Television remote control, clicker.
-
The hand.
Give me your flipper, old man, and tell me if I can be of any service to you. I'll do what you want at all hazards.
Similar: flapper
- A kind of false tooth, usually temporary. Dr. Woo attempts to distinguish Blakeslee by pointing out that “one can fondle a breast without having anything to do with dentistry, but one cannot take molds, fabricate and insert flippers into another person's mouth without practicing dentistry."
- A kitchen spatula. Remember the mornings when you help me fix eggs and pancakes for breakfast. You always had to use the “flipper” to turn the pancakes and eggs.
- Someone who flips, in the sense of buying a house or other asset and selling it quickly for profit. Two notable examples of Zombie Formalism would be the electroplated silver monochromes of Jacob Kassay (b. 1984) and the “Rain Paintings” of Lucien Smith (b. 1989), both recent favorites of the art flippers.
- Someone who flips in any other sense, for example throwing a coin.
verb flippers · flippering · flippered
- To lift one or both flippers out of the water and slap the surface of the water.
Flipper²
proper noun
- A common name for aquatic animals which have flippers, such as dolphins and seals.
Translations
Every language
noun marine mammal's wide limb for swimming
| Español | aleta |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 지느러미 jineureomi |
| 日本語 | 鰭 hire |
| 中文 | 鰭 /鳍 qí |
| Kiswahili | kikono |
| Português | barbatana, nadadeira |
| Français | aileron, nageoire |
| Deutsch | Flosse |
| Italiano | pinna |
| Ελληνικά | πτερύγιο pterýgio |
| Русский | плавни́к plavník, ласт last |
| Tiếng Việt | vây |
noun paddle-like rubber covering for the foot
| Español | aleta, pata de rana |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 오리발 oribal |
| 日本語 | フィン fin |
| 中文 | 蛙鞋 wāxié |
| Português | barbatana, pé de pato |
| Français | palme |
| Deutsch | Flosse |
| Italiano | pinna |
| Ελληνικά | βατραχοπέδιλο vatrachopédilo |
| Русский | ласт last |
| Tiếng Việt | chân vịt |
noun flat lever in a pinball machine
| Português | aleta |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Flipper, Flipperhebel |
noun informal: remote control
| Português | controle |
|---|---|
| Italiano | telecomando |
noun slang: hand
| Deutsch | Flosse |
|---|
noun dentistry: temporary tooth
| Italiano | protesi temporanea |
|---|
noun someone who buys and sells quickly for profit
| Italiano | speculatore |
|---|
noun someone who flips
| Italiano | lanciatore |
|---|
Talk about this word "flipper." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/flipper. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. flipper. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/flipper "flipper." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/flipper.Cite this
@misc{flipper_2026,
title = {flipper},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/flipper},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
