sippy cup: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Informal, everyday, family/childcare
Quick answer
What does “sippy cup” mean?
A child's training cup with a lid and a spout designed to prevent spilling while allowing the child to drink without help.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A child's training cup with a lid and a spout designed to prevent spilling while allowing the child to drink without help.
A spill-proof drinking vessel for toddlers transitioning from a bottle. In metaphorical usage, it can refer to something designed to be extremely safe and protective, sometimes with connotations of being infantile or overly simplistic.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used in both varieties but is more common and firmly established in American English. In British English, 'training cup' or 'beaker' are common alternatives, though 'sippy cup' is understood and used.
Connotations
In both, it is a neutral, functional term. In American culture, it is a standard household item. In metaphorical use, it can have a slightly pejorative connotation of overprotection or infantilization in both varieties.
Frequency
High frequency in AmE within parenting contexts; medium to high frequency in BrE, with 'beaker' or 'training cup' as strong competitors.
Grammar
How to Use “sippy cup” in a Sentence
[Child] drinks from/uses a sippy cup.[Parent] gives/offers [child] a sippy cup.to transition from [bottle] to sippy cup.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sippy cup” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We need to start sippy-cupping our one-year-old to get her off the bottle.
- (Rare, non-standard)
American English
- We're trying to sippy-cup train our toddler this month.
- (Rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- It's a proper sippy-cup phase in our house.
- (Informal, attributive use)
American English
- He's in that sippy-cup stage between baby and big kid.
- (Informal, attributive use)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in retail, marketing, or product design for children's goods.
Academic
Rare. Might appear in developmental psychology or paediatric studies.
Everyday
Very common in conversations among parents, caregivers, and in family settings.
Technical
Used in product standards, safety testing for children's items, or occupational therapy contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sippy cup”
- Incorrect plural: 'sippies cups' (correct: 'sippy cups').
- Spelling: 'sippie cup' (standard spelling is 'sippy').
- Using it to refer to any child's cup without a spout or lid.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an informal, compound noun most commonly used in everyday speech, particularly in parenting and family contexts.
Usually between 6 and 18 months, as they transition from breast/bottle feeding to using an open cup.
Very rarely and only in highly informal, colloquial settings (e.g., 'We're sippy-cupping now'). It is not standard usage.
A sippy cup typically has a rigid spout and is held like a cup, promoting different oral motor skills than the sucking action required for a bottle's soft teat.
A child's training cup with a lid and a spout designed to prevent spilling while allowing the child to drink without help.
Sippy cup: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɪp.i ˌkʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɪp.i ˌkʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on a sippy cup level (metaphorical, informal: referring to something extremely basic or safe)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a toddler taking little SIPs from a CUP – a SIPPY CUP.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINMENT/PROTECTION (The cup contains the liquid and protects from spills). TRANSITION (Metaphor for a stage between infancy and childhood).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, which term is a common synonym for 'sippy cup'?