clippie: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very RareInformal, Historical
Quick answer
What does “clippie” mean?
A dated British informal term for a female bus conductor who collects fares by punching, or 'clipping', tickets with a ticket punch.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A dated British informal term for a female bus conductor who collects fares by punching, or 'clipping', tickets with a ticket punch.
By historical extension, it can refer to any person (though originally a woman) employed in a job that involves clipping or punching tickets or documents. It is now a historical term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is exclusively British. The role and term never existed in the US, where bus drivers typically collected fares directly.
Connotations
Evokes nostalgia, wartime/post-war Britain, and a specific, now-defunct public transport culture. Can be patronising if used directly, but often fond in reminiscence.
Frequency
Obsolete in active use. Only encountered in historical accounts, period dramas, or in the speech of older generations.
Grammar
How to Use “clippie” in a Sentence
[be/worked as] a clippiethe clippie [verb e.g., smiled, punched]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clippie” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A (noun only)
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A (noun only)
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A (noun only)
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical or sociolinguistic studies of occupational terminology.
Everyday
Used only in historical reminiscence or when explaining the past to younger people.
Technical
Not used in modern transport planning.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clippie”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “clippie”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clippie”
- Using it to refer to a modern ticket inspector (incorrect - different role/era).
- Using it in an American context.
- Spelling as 'clippy' (more common for the Microsoft Office assistant).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the role of the bus conductor (and thus the clippie) was largely phased out in the UK from the 1980s onwards with the move to one-person bus operation.
Typically no. The '-ie' suffix and the role were strongly gendered at the time. A male bus conductor was just called a 'conductor' or 'bus conductor'.
She used a ticket punch, a handheld device that would make a distinctive hole or cut in a paper ticket to mark it as used.
It's a good example of how language preserves social history. Understanding such terms helps with comprehending historical texts, films, and the cultural references of older generations.
A dated British informal term for a female bus conductor who collects fares by punching, or 'clipping', tickets with a ticket punch.
Clippie is usually informal, historical in register.
Clippie: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklɪp.i/, and in American English it is pronounced N/A (not a standard US English word). Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the **clip** sound of the ticket punch. She was the person who did the *clipping*, hence the 'clippie'.
Conceptual Metaphor
OCCUPATION IS DEFINED BY ITS CHARACTERISTIC ACTION (metonymy).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate description of a 'clippie'?