2 syllables: clip, ping. Stress on clip.
KLIP-ing
/ˈklɪpɪŋ/
clipping is pronounced KLIP-ing (/ˈklɪpɪŋ/). It has two syllables (clip-ping), with the stress on "clip". Clipping is the act or result of cutting off or reducing something, often a portion of hair, a segment of a document, or a purchase to meet a limit. As a noun or verb form, it appears in contexts ranging from physical trimming to abbreviating sound or words. In phonetics, clipping can also describe shortened audio or speech segments. The term emphasizes succinct, shortened, or truncated material or action.
Clipping is the act or result of cutting off or reducing something, often a portion of hair, a segment of a document, or a purchase to meet a limit. As a noun or verb form, it appears in contexts ranging from physical trimming to abbreviating sound or words. In phonetics, clipping can also describe shortened audio or speech segments. The term emphasizes succinct, shortened, or truncated material or action.
"The gardener was pruning and clipping the hedges."
"She was clipping coupons to save money for groceries."
"The editor suggested clipping unnecessary phrases from the article."
Pronounce as /ˈklɪpɪŋ/. Start with a stressed first syllable 'clip' where /ɪ/ is a short, lax vowel like in
Common errors include misplacing the stress (putting emphasis on the second syllable) and elongating the /ɪ/ in the first syllable. Another error is pronouncing /kl/ as an aspirated cluster with a stronger /k/ release. Correct by keeping /kl/ as a quick onset, ensuring /ɪ/ remains short, and finishing with a crisp /ŋ/.
In US/UK/AU, the primary variance is vowel length and rhoticity of the vowel following the /l/; all share /ˈklɪpɪŋ/. US rhotic accent generally keeps the /ɪ/ short without vowel coloring, while some UK varieties may have slightly higher vowel quality in some contexts. Australian tends to be more centralized in the vowel, with a slightly shorter /ɪ/.
The challenge lies in smoothly navigating the consonant cluster /kl/ and maintaining a short, crisp /ɪ/ while ending with the velar nasal /ŋ/. Beginners often substitute with a heavier /l/ or let the /ɪ/ lengthen into /iː/. Practicing with minimal pairs and steady tempo helps you land a clean onset and a precise final nasal.
The critical element is keeping the short, tense /ɪ/ in a tight syllable with a quick onset cluster and rapid release into /ŋ/. The stress falls on the first syllable; misplacing stress changes it to a noun-adjective feel rather than a clear gerund. Also watch for vowel reduction in connected speech that could undermine the crisp onset.
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Clipping derives from Middle English clipen, meaning to strike or cut with force, and further from Old English clippian with similar senses, ultimately connected to Germanic roots denoting a fast, cutting motion. In the 15th–17th centuries, clipping appeared in contexts of trimming garments or hedges; by the 18th–19th centuries, it broadened to refer to haircuts, fence raising, and the figurative sense of abbreviating text or speech. The noun form, clipping, emerged to denote the act of clipping itself or the clipped portion (e.g., a clipping from a newspaper). In modern usage, clipping is also a term in audio engineering describing the alteration of a signal when it exceeds system limits, preserving the idea of an abrupt “cut” or truncation. First known uses show parallel forms like clip, clipping, clipped, with the sense oftentimes tied to the physical act of cutting or shortening in both material and informational contexts. Over time, the meaning has solidified around trimming or abbreviating with precise, intentional reduction.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "clipping" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "clipping" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "clipping"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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