Added 9 October 2026
nibble
/ˈnɪbl̩/ verb
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about nibble at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
To take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
The rabbit nibbled the lettuce.
-
To take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
The rabbit nibbled the lettuce.
- To lightly bite (a person or animal, or part of their body), especially in a loving or playful manner; to nip.
noun
- An act of taking a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, especially with the front teeth; the bite or bites so taken.
- A light bite of a person or animal, or part of their body, especially one which is loving or playful; a nip.
- An amount of food that is or can be taken into the mouth through a small bite; a small mouthful.
noun
Origin
The verb is derived from Late Middle English nebillen, nebyll (“to peck away at (something), nibble; (figurative) to attempt to sing (a part of a song)”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Middle Low German nibbelen (“to eat in small bites, peck”) (modern German Low German nibbeln, gnibbeln, knibbeln), possibly a variant of knabbelen, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gnet- (“to press”) or imitative. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Middle Dutch cnibbelen (modern Dutch knibbelen (“to gnaw; to murmur”), nibbelen (“to nibble”)) * Saterland Frisian nibje (“to nibble”) * West Frisian knibbelje
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)