clip

Where does the word "clip" come from? It comes from Old Norse klippa, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

Clip’s story begins in Old Norse: klippa meant “to cut.” English 'clip', to fasten, is a separate Old English word. It reached English by 1200s as clip. Settled as the standard English word for cutting or fastening something. Today, clip means to cut something short, or a device used to fasten things together.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval klippa "to cut", English 'clip', to fasten, is a separate Old English word.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1200s clip "to cut something short, or to fasten with a device", settled as the standard English word for cutting or fastening something.