overwordExplorer
ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

flip.

A maneuver which rotates an object end over end.

4 characters1 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/flɪp/
  1. A maneuver which rotates an object end over end.

    countable · uncountable
    We'll decide this on a flip of a coin.
    The diver did a couple of flips before landing in the pool.
  2. A complete change of direction, decision, movement etc.

    countable · uncountable
  3. A fillip or light blow.

    archaic · countable · uncountable
  4. A whit or jot; the tiniest amount.

    countable · dated · uncountable
    I don't care a flip for what he says.
  5. A short flight.

    countable · uncountable
  6. A slingshot.

    US · countable · slang · uncountable
  7. A hairstyle popular among boys in the 1960s–70s and 2000s–10s, in which the hair goes halfway down the ears, at which point it sticks out

    countable · uncountable
    Justin Bieber and Zac Efron are among the celebrities who wore a flip.
  8. The purchase of an asset (usually a house) which is then improved and sold quickly for profit.

    countable · informal · uncountable
  9. The tendency of a gun's barrel to jerk about at the moment of firing.

    uncountable
Where this word comes from

Alteration of earlier fillip, from Middle English filippen (“to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger, snap the fingers”), an attenuated variation of flappen (“to flap, clap, slap, strike”). Cognate with Dutch flappen (“to flap”), German flappen (“to flap”).

verb/flɪp/
  1. To throw so as to turn over.

    transitive
    You need to flip the pancake onto the other side.
  2. To put into a quick revolving motion through a snap of the thumb and index finger.

    transitive
    If you can't decide which option to go for, flip a coin.
  3. To win a state (or county) won by another party in the preceding elections.

    US · transitive
    Wisconsin had been Democratic for decades, but the Republicans flipped it in 2016.
  4. To turn state's evidence; to agree to testify against one's co-conspirators in exchange for concessions from prosecutors.

    US · intransitive
    The mafioso flipped on his superiors to get a lighter sentence.
  5. To induce someone to turn state's evidence; to get someone to agree to testify against their co-conspirators in exchange for concessions.

    US · transitive
    The district attorney was able to strengthen his case against the bank robber by flipping the getaway driver.
  6. To go berserk or crazy; to get extremely angry.

    intransitive · slang
    I'd flip if anyone broke my phone.
  7. To go berserk or crazy; to be extremely thrilled or enthusiastic.

    intransitive · slang
  8. To purchase and resell assets (often real estate or artworks) for immediate short-term profit.

    slang · transitive
    Those companies have been flipping houses in the real estate market for years.
  9. To refinance (a loan), accruing additional fees.

    slang · transitive
  10. To invert a bit (binary digit), changing it from 0 to 1 or from 1 to 0.

    transitive
  11. To hand over or pass along.

    informal · transitive
  12. To switch to another task, etc.

    informal · intransitive
  13. To put on a (facial expression).

    transitive
    I knew he was kidding because he flipped a grin at me.
  14. To flap.

    intransitive
Where this word comes from

Alteration of earlier fillip, from Middle English filippen (“to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger, snap the fingers”), an attenuated variation of flappen (“to flap, clap, slap, strike”). Cognate with Dutch flappen (“to flap”), German flappen (“to flap”).

intj/flɪp/
  1. Used to express annoyance, especially when the speaker has made an error.

    UK · colloquial · euphemistic
    What the flip just happened?
Where this word comes from

Non-vulgar euphemism for fuck.

adj/flɪp/
  1. Having the quality of playfulness, or lacking seriousness of purpose.

    UK · informal
    I hate to be flip, but perhaps we could steal a Christmas tree.
  2. Sarcastic.

  3. Disrespectful, flippant.

    informal
    Don't get flip with me or I'll knock you into next Tuesday!
Where this word comes from

Clipping of flippant.

noun/flɪp/
  1. A mixture of beer, spirit, etc., stirred and heated by a hot iron (a “flip dog”).

    uncountable
Where this word comes from

Compare English dialect flip (“nimble, flippant, also, a slight blow”).

FROM WORD TO NAME

Try it on your idea.

flip has 4 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.

flip studioflip workshello, flip

These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.

Explore the name generator

A word with a source.

Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.