tip

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
  2. noun a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter)
  3. noun an indication of potential opportunity

Etymology

From Middle English tip, typ, tippe (“tip”), from Proto-Germanic *tuppijô, *tuppijǭ (“tip”), a diminutive of *tuppaz. Related to Saterland Frisian Tip (“tip”), West Frisian tippe, tip (“tip”), Dutch tip (“tip”), German Low German Tip, Tippel (“tip”), dialectal German Zipf (“tip”) (diminutive Zipfel used in Standard German), Danish tip (“tip”), Swedish tipp (“tip”), Icelandic typpi (“knob, pin, penis”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Timpe (“tip”), West Frisian timpe (“tip”), Old English tæppa (“tap, spigot”), Albanian thep (“tip, point”), Middle High German züpfel (“pointed end, tip”).

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