coupon clipper: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Financial; also Informal (extended meaning)
Quick answer
What does “coupon clipper” mean?
A person, especially one who is wealthy, whose income comes primarily from clipping and redeeming interest-bearing coupons from bonds.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, especially one who is wealthy, whose income comes primarily from clipping and redeeming interest-bearing coupons from bonds.
A person who lives off investment income, often implying a life of leisure without active work. More broadly, someone who diligently uses coupons to save money on purchases.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood in both varieties but is more established in American financial history. The extended meaning (user of discount coupons) is dominant in AmE. In BrE, the original financial meaning might be slightly more recognized due to historical financial literature.
Connotations
In AmE, the coupon (discount) user meaning can be neutral or slightly pejorative (implying frugality or cheapness). The original meaning connotes idle wealth. In BrE, the original meaning retains a stronger historical/class connotation.
Frequency
Overall low frequency in both. The extended meaning is more frequently encountered in AmE consumer contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “coupon clipper” in a Sentence
[be/become/live as] a coupon clipperthe [adjective] coupon clipperVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coupon clipper” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He has effectively coupon-clipped his way to a comfortable retirement.
American English
- She spends her Sundays coupon-clipping from the newspaper.
adjective
British English
- He led a coupon-clipping existence.
American English
- They're a coupon-clipping family, always hunting for deals.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Historical reference to a class of investors; modern usage rare.
Academic
Used in economic history or sociology to describe pre-digital rentier classes.
Everyday
Most likely refers to someone who uses retail discount coupons avidly.
Technical
Not a technical term in modern finance.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “coupon clipper”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “coupon clipper”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coupon clipper”
- Confusing the two distinct meanings (financial vs. retail).
- Using it to describe any investor.
- Misspelling as 'coupon cliper'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency term. Its original financial meaning is largely historical, while its modern consumer meaning is understood but not highly common.
They are closely related. 'Rentier' is a broader economic term for someone living off unearned income. 'Coupon clipper' is a more specific, vivid image of that lifestyle, tied to the physical act of clipping paper coupons from bonds.
The original meaning often carried a negative connotation of idleness and unearned privilege. The modern consumer meaning can be neutral (praiseworthy frugality) or slightly negative (cheapness), depending on context.
The term originated in finance. As paper bond coupons disappeared, the phrase was logically repurposed for the similar physical action of clipping retail discount coupons, leading to a semantic shift.
A person, especially one who is wealthy, whose income comes primarily from clipping and redeeming interest-bearing coupons from bonds.
Coupon clipper is usually formal, financial; also informal (extended meaning) in register.
Coupon clipper: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkuːpɒn ˌklɪpə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkuːpɑːn ˌklɪpər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He/She] might as well be a coupon clipper (implying detachment from work)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an old-fashioned wealthy person in an armchair, using scissors to CLIP COUPONS from a bond certificate, not working.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEALTH IS A PAPER TOOL (scissors/coupons). LIVING IS CLIPPING.
Practice
Quiz
In modern everyday American English, 'coupon clipper' most commonly refers to: