1
: one that clips something
2
: an implement for clipping especially hair, fingernails, or toenails
—usually used in plural
3
: something that moves swiftly: such as
a
: a fast sailing ship
especially
: one with long slender lines, an overhanging bow, tall masts, and a large sail area
b
or clipper system
: a fast-moving, low-pressure weather system : alberta clipper
… but that's just a taste of things to come as that clipper system moves across the Lakes.—Nick Walker
Cite this Entry
“Clipper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clipper. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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