zipper, n.

zipper
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zipper_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2021

# zippernoun

## Earlier version

- zipper, n. in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zipper mean?

There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun zipper, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

This word is used in North American English.

zipper has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

shoes (1920s) building (1920s) life sciences (1930s)

### How common is the noun zipper?

About 0.9occurrences per million words in modern written English

1920 | 0.16
1930 | 0.2
1940 | 0.23
1950 | 0.35
1960 | 0.48
1970 | 0.59
1980 | 0.75
1990 | 0.9
2000 | 0.98
2010 | 1.1

### How is the noun zipper pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzɪpə/
ZIP-uh

#### U.S. English

/ˈzɪpər/
ZIP-uhr

### Where does the noun zipper come from?

Earliest known use

1920s

The earliest known use of the noun zipper is in the 1920s.

OED's earliest evidence for zipper is from 1923, in Beatrice (Nebraska) Daily Sun.

zipper is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: zip v.1, ‑er suffix1.

### Nearby entries

1. ziphioid, adj. & n. 1861–
2. zipless, adj. 1922–
3. zip line, n. 1970–
4. zip line, v. 1998–
5. zipliner, n. 1993–
6. zip lining, n.?1983–
7. zip-lipped, adj. 1943–
8. ziplock, n. 1928–
9. zipped, adj. 1931–
10. zippeite, n. 1850–
11. zipper, n.1923–
12. zipper, v. 1927–
13. zippered, adj. 1926–
14. zipper foot, n. 1938–
15. zipperhead, n. 1967–
16. zipper problem, n. 1985–
17. Zippie, n.¹ 1968–
18. zippie, n.² 1986–
19. zippily, adv. 1924–
20. zippiness, n. 1907–
21. zipping, n. 1868–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
Etymons: zip v.1, ‑er suffix1.
< zip v.1 (compare sense 1a at that entry) + ‑er suffix1.

## Meaning & use

1. 1.
   1923–28
   † U.S. A brand name for: a type of boot or overshoe with a zip fastener. Obsolete.
   1. 1923

      > This cozy, snug fitting little Zipper boot worn right over your street shoes or your dainty slippers... A hookless fastener gives Zipper its name. Zipper has a smooth wool jersey top with cuff.

      Beatrice (Nebraska) Daily Sun 22 November 3 (advertisement)
   2. 1925

      > These good looking zippers, zip up the front and are easier to walk in than most overshoes.

      Lincoln (Nebraska) Sunday Star 1 November 7
   3. 1928

      > Why take chances when you can save by wearing ZIPPERS.

      Stanford (California) Daily 6 February 3 (advertisement)
   shoes U.S. English
   1. cocker c1390–
      Chiefly in plural. Each of a pair of any of various articles of clothing worn on the legs or feet, often for a specific purpose, esp. protection…
   2. spit-boot 1707–
      A boot or gaiter fastening by means of an iron spike (obsolete dialect).
   3. wrapper 1808–
      North American. A make of leather boot adapted for fastening round the leg (also called wrapping-boot).
   4. wrapping boot 1808
      Form of boot adapted for wrapping about the ankle and calf.
   5. button boot 1831–
      A type of close-fitting boot fastened with a row of buttons on the outer side extending from the foot to the top of the boot.
   6. Balmoral 1857–
      Used as a specific name of: (a) a variety of Scotch cap; (b) a kind of figured woollen petticoat; (c) a kind of boot lacing in front.
   7. zipper 1923–28
      U.S. A brand name for: a type of boot or overshoe with a zip fastener. Obsolete.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. patten c1574–
      A kind of overshoe worn to raise an ordinary shoe above wet or muddy ground, consisting (from the 17th cent.) of a thick wooden sole mounted on an…
   2. India rubber 1825–
      U.S. Chiefly in plural. A waterproof overshoe made of India rubber; = rubber, n.¹ III.14a.i. Now historical.
   3. foothold 1851–
      North American. A kind of light overshoe made of natural rubber and held in place by a strap around the ankle. Now rare.
   4. storm rubber 1895–
      A rubber overshoe.
   5. zipper 1923–28
      U.S. A brand name for: a type of boot or overshoe with a zip fastener. Obsolete.
   6. moccasin rubber 1940–
      A rubber overshoe worn over moccasins.
   7. toe-rubber 1948–
      A rubber overshoe that covers only the front part of a shoe.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
2. 2.
   Chiefly North American.
   1. 2.a.
      1924–
      A fastening device for clothes, bags, and other items, consisting of two flexible strips with interlocking projections of metal or plastic which can be closed or opened by pulling a sliding tag along them; (also) the sliding tag on such a fastener; a zip.
      Zip is the more usual term outside North America (see zip n.1 B.2).
      1. 1924

         > The dresses are simply made and feature the zipper fastener front. The zipper is made attractive by having a carved ivory motif that fastens or unfastens the dress.

         La Crosse (Wisconsin) Tribune & Leader-Press 11 March 6
      2. 1928

         > Bootees..fastening with ‘zippers’, press studs, or inset clips.

         Daily Express 11 October 5/5
      3. 1957

         > He hated fiddling with things like zippers caught on tiny strips of cloth.

         New Yorker 29 June 24/2
      4. 1979

         > She reached for the zipper of her skirt.

         R. Jaffe, Class Reunion i. xi. 105
      5. 1995

         > I had finished peeing and was pulling up my pants..but the zipper was stuck.

         E. Arthur, Antarctic Navigation 96
      6. 2019

         > They modernized the jeans' design, replacing the button fly with zippers.

         D. Thomas, Fashionopolis iii. 73
      building North American English
      1. zipper 1924–
         Chiefly North American. A fastening device for clothes, bags, and other items, consisting of two flexible strips with interlocking projections of…
      2. zip 1925–
         A fastening device for clothes, bags, and other items, consisting of two flexible strips with interlocking projections of metal or plastic which…
      3. zip fastener 1925–
         A fastening device for clothes, bags, and other items, consisting of two flexible strips with interlocking projections of metal or plastic which…
      4. zip fastening 1925–
         a. n. A fastening device for clothes, bags, and other items, consisting of two flexible strips with interlocking projections of metal or plastic…
      5. zip top 1926–
         A zip at the top of a bag or other item; a top that can be opened or closed by means of a zip.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
   2. 2.b.
      1931–
      Used figuratively with mouth, lips, and similar words to indicate that a person should stop talking or is reluctant to talk. Cf. zipper v. 2.
      See also put a zipper on it at Phrases P.2.
      1. 1931

         > The kid doesn't know what it's all about. I'll put a zipper on his mouth.

         Arizona Silver Belt 5 March 6/1
      2. 1931

         > You and your friend are O. K. with me... O. K. so far, what I mean. But if you pull the zipper on that mouth of yours, it'll be too bad.

         Liberty 29 August 37/2
      3. 1941

         > You better put the zipper on that bazzoo of yours, because, otherwise, you might talk yourself into the can for six months.

         Los Angeles Times 31 March
      4. 1993

         > She didn't say ‘no’ and she didn't get mad. She just kept smiling, through the invisible zipper on her lips.

         Daily Herald (Chicago) 12 November vi. 4/2
      North American English
   3. 2.c.
      1937–
      In scientific contexts: a structure or process whose mode of action resembles the opening or closing of a zip fastener. Frequently as a modifier.
      1. 1937

         > The work of adhesion between the protein film and the stearate film is not sufficient to give a sufficiently strong zipper action.

         Science 15 January 77/2
      2. 1950

         > The other question arises as to whether a structural irregularity, such as the introduction of other units into the polymer chain, itself interrupts the smooth flow of the ‘zipper’ reaction.

         Science Progress vol. 38 8
      3. 1988

         > Landschulz, Johnson, and McKnight propose that the leucine side chains from one protein molecule interdigitate with those on a second protein, effectively forming a zipper that holds the two molecules together.

         Science 24 June 1732/2
      4. 2011

         > Leucine zippers are oligomerization domains used in a wide range of proteins.

         Journal Biol. Chemistry vol. 286 27537/1
      life sciences North American English
      1. network 1658–
         A structure of this kind forming part of animal or plant tissue.
      2. strangulation 1828–
         concrete. A strangulated part; a constriction. spec. in Natural History.
      3. rod 1844–
         Biology. An animal or plant structure having an elongated slender form; (Bacteriology) a bacillus.
      4. zipper 1937–
         Chiefly North American. In scientific contexts: a structure or process whose mode of action resembles the opening or closing of a zip fastener…
      View in Historical Thesaurus
3. 3.
   1957–
   North American. A long electronic sign or screen which displays scrolling text such as news or advertisements. Now also: a band of scrolling text displayed on a television or computer screen; a news ticker. Frequently in news zipper.
   1. 1957

      > Look for the new zipper sign.

      Holland (Michigan) Evening Sentinel 25 April 19/4 (advertisement)
   2. 1982

      > The electronic news ‘zipper’ that once flashed news reports around No. 1 Times Square was lit up again today.

      Los Angeles Times 31 December 1/4
   3. 2003

      > Screens..crowded with info-bits, including a traveling zipper of text across the bottom.

      Columbia Journalism Review (Nexis) January–February
   4. 2006

      > A stock ticker and a news zipper..take up a third of the screen.

      New Yorker 5 June 89/2
   5. 2013

      > The digital zipper sign at the pawnshop at the intersection of Hood Road and Route 190 in the center of Killeen flashes, We Love Our Soldiers!!! Great Deals!!! Best Prices For Your Stuff!!!

      K. T. McLeish, Making War at Fort Hood v. 218
   North American English
   1. sky sign 1887–
      A sign, esp. one displaying advertising or news, placed in such a way as to stand out against the sky; spec. an electrically illuminated sign of this…
   2. window sticker 1896–
      A sticker fixed to the inside of a window to display information, publicity, etc., to people outside; (originally) spec. a sticker of this kind…
   3. blurb 1914–
      A brief descriptive paragraph or note of the contents or character of a book, printed as a commendatory advertisement, on the jacket or wrapper of a…
   4. neon sign 1927–
      A sign, esp. an advertisement, utilizing a neon lamp, usually in the form of a shaped tube.
   5. standee 1930–
      A self-standing display used for advertising purposes, esp. a life-size cut-out of a celebrity or character, typically made from cardboard or…
   6. teaser 1934–
      An introductory advertisement, esp. an excerpt or sample designed to stimulate interest or curiosity. Originally and chiefly U.S.
   7. zipper 1957–
      North American. A long electronic sign or screen which displays scrolling text such as news or advertisements. Now also: a band of scrolling text…
   8. hot button 1966–
      a. A strongly emotive, popular, or controversial concern or issue, usually social or political; frequently attributive, esp. in hot-button issue; b…
   9. attack ad 1973–
      An advertisement which promotes a political candidate or party by presenting a negative image of an opposing candidate or party.
   10. shockvertising 1994–
       Advertising that is designed to attract attention by employing tactics, esp. in the use of graphic images, that are provocative and shocking.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

### Phrases

1. P.1.
   1937–
   colloquial. to put the zipper on (also to put a zipper on): to put a stop to (something); to interrupt or prevent (a plan or course of action). Cf. sense 2b.
   1. 1937

      > It behooves every voter in Vigo county to put a zipper on his enthusiasm.

      Saturday Spectator (Terre Haute, Indiana) 20 November 4/2
   2. 1986

      > He just wanted to put the zipper on the rumors.

      P. Evans, Ari xvii. 293
   3. 2011

      > [He] wrote to the Smithsonian's Surprising Science blog to put the zipper on Levi's suggestion.

      Independent 17 November 43/3
   colloquial and slang
2. P.2.
   1966–
   colloquial. put a zipper on it: ‘be quiet’, ‘shut up’.
   1. 1966

      > Purra zipper on it, please be silent.

      F. Shaw et al., Lern Yerself Scouse 21
   2. 1986

      > ‘Put a zipper on it, Leroy,’ she said. ‘I don't have spare time either, especially not for one of your tantrums.’

      M. Z. Lewin, Late Payments ix. 58
   3. 2007

      > Jack, if you could just put a zipper on it for about three minutes, that might be helpful.

      B. McGrory, Strangled iii. 18
   colloquial and slang

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzɪpə/
ZIP-uh

### U.S. English

/ˈzɪpər/
ZIP-uhr

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Frequency

zipper typically occurs about 0.9 times per million words in modern written English.

zipper is in frequency band 4, which contains words occurring between 0.1 and 1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands

Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of zipper, n., 1920–2010

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.

The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.

For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.

Decade | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
1920 | 0.16
1930 | 0.2
1940 | 0.23
1950 | 0.35
1960 | 0.48
1970 | 0.59
1980 | 0.75
1990 | 0.9
2000 | 0.98
2010 | 1.1

### Frequency of zipper, n., 2017–2024

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the corpus.

Period | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
2017 | 0.74
2018 | 0.72
2019 | 0.74
2020 | 0.76
2021 | 0.81
2022 | 0.83
2023 | 0.86
2024 | 0.89

## Compounds & derived words

Sort by

1. zippered, adj. 1926–
   Esp. of an item of clothing: fastened by means of…

1. zipper, v. 1927–
   transitive. To close or fasten (something, esp…

1. zipper foot, n. 1938–
   A type of sewing machine foot (see foot, n…

1. zipper problem, n. 1985–
   (With reference to a man) a habit of sexual…

1. C.1.
   1. C.1.a.
      1924–
      As a modifier with the sense ‘of or involving a zipper; opened or closed by means of a zipper; provided with a zipper’, as in zipper bag, zipper fastener, zipper fastening, zipper pull, etc.
      1. 1924

         > The dresses are simply made and feature the zipper fastener front.

         La Crosse (Wisconsin) Tribune & Leader-Press 11 March 6
      2. 1925

         > The most convenient and attractive form of the pocket purse is this one of lizard calf, leather lined, with a zipper fastening.

         Scribner's Magazine June 31/1 (advertisement)
      3. 1937

         > He was wearing his dark blue zipper jacket.

         D. Aldis, Time at Her Heels ix. 196
      4. 1941

         > A pair of tennis shorts with zipper fly.

         I. Baird, He rides Sky 234
      5. 1960

         > He sat down among his belongings, which were partly in and partly out of his zipper bag.

         M. Spark, Ballad of Peckham Rye ii. 22
      6. 1991

         > Double zipper pulls can provide access to either end of a bag, and can be locked together.

         Fly Rod & Reel March 56/2
   2. C.1.b.
      1926–
      As a modifier with the sense ‘with or by means of a zipper’, as in zipper-closed, zipper-fastened, etc.
      1. 1926

         > Boys New Zipper Sweaters... Featuring the Zipper closed front.

         Hutchinson (Kansas) News 3 December 8 (advertisement)
      2. 1928

         > Zipper-fastened.

         Daily Express 11 October 5/5
      3. 1959

         > The briefcase..was a slender one, of the type with no handles, zipper-closed.

         C. Williams, Man in Motion vii. 81
      4. 1998

         > Put the packets into a zipper-locked freezer bag.

         Chicago Tribune 15 March xv. 6/2
2. C.2.
   1996–
   Chiefly North American. As a modifier, designating a method of merging traffic in a situation where two lanes are required to merge into one (typically where one lane is closed as a result of construction work), whereby drivers are instructed to stay in lane until the merging point, and then drivers in the open lane take turns allowing drivers in the closing lane to merge in front of them; chiefly in zipper merge, zipper merging.
   [With reference to the merging cars in this system resembling the interlocking teeth of a closing zipper.]
   1. 1996

      > Drivers coming from the on-ramp would assist those already on the expressway by matching their speed to the flow of traffic, and then using the ‘zipper’ method of entering—one car per available space.

      O. Heinzel, Letter in Kitchener-Waterloo (Ontario) Rec. 30 December a10/4
   2. 2001

      > Traffic signs frequently instruct drivers to delay merges until the end of the merge lane... Drivers are taught to use the ‘zipper’ merge.

      Washington Post 5 July (Fairfax Extra Supplement) 20/1
   3. 2008

      > After passing dozens of cars, I made it to the bottleneck point, where..I took my rightful turn in the small alternating ‘zipper’ merge that had formed.

      T. Vanderbilt, Traffic (2009) 4
   4. 2019

      > [The driver]..was zipper merging, but her efforts were thwarted by a left lane vigilante who would not let her in line... Zipper merging is the law, but..[her]..experience prompted her to ask why Minnesotans can't zipper merge.

      Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (Nexis) 31 March (Metro edition) 5b
   North American English
3. C.3.
   1. zipper foot, n. 1938–
      A type of sewing machine foot (see foot, n…
   1. zipper problem, n. 1985–
      (With reference to a man) a habit of sexual…

zipper, n. was revised in March 2021.

zipper, n. was last modified in June 2025.