Zipper
/ˈzɪp.ər/noun
A fastening device with two rows of interlocking teeth, opened and closed by a sliding tab.
Did you know?The word entered English as a trademark name in the 1920s, and the fast, buzzing feel of “zip” helped sell the idea of a machine that closes with almost supernatural speed.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*seip-
“to drip, ooze, or trickle”
Old English
English
sīpan
“to seep or ooze”
Early Modern English
English
zip
“a sharp hissing or buzzing sound; later, to move quickly”
1923
English
Zipper
“a trademarked name for a slide fastener”
Modern English
English
zipper
“the common word for a slide fastener”