Kipper
/ˈkɪp.ər/noun
A fish, especially a herring, that has been split, salted, and smoked; also the process of preparing fish this way.
Did you know?Although kippering is strongly associated with herring, the word has also referred historically to male salmon during spawning, whose hooked jaws may connect it to the related word “kype.”
Etymological Timeline
Old English (proposed)
Old English
cypera
“A proposed form connected with a male salmon or spawning fish; this etymology is uncertain.”
Middle English
Middle English
kypper
“A male salmon or fish prepared for preservation; the exact origin remains obscure.”
15th Century
English
kipper
“A fish, especially herring, split and preserved by salting and smoking.”
16th–17th Century
English
kipper
“A preserved or smoked fish; the term became increasingly associated with herring.”
Modern English
English
kipper
“A smoked herring or another fish treated by the traditional kippering process.”
Explore more surprising origins