nibble

1 of 2

verb

nib·​ble ˈni-bəl How to pronounce nibble (audio)
nibbled; nibbling ˈni-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce nibble (audio)

transitive verb

1
a
: to bite gently
b
: to eat or chew in small bits
2
: to take away bit by bit
waves nibbling the shore

intransitive verb

1
: to take gentle, small, or cautious bites
also : snack
2
: to deal with something as if by nibbling
nibbler noun

nibble

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act of nibbling
2
: a very small quantity or portion (as of food)
also : snack
3
: a tentative expression of interest

Examples of nibble in a Sentence

Verb We nibbled cheese and crackers. We nibbled on some cheese and crackers before dinner. Noun He felt a nibble on his fishing line. They served some delicious nibbles before dinner.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Otherwise, the young plants could be nibbled to death by hungry travelers. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 At Animal Kingdom in Orlando, all creatures large and small got to play with, nibble on and even smash pumpkins. Marina Watts, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Noun
Sit down for an aperitivo—perhaps a Negroni or spritz accompanied by delicious canapes and nibbles—at San Carlo. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 7 Oct. 2024 Try taking tiny nibbles on the full plate of tasks before you — what’s going on in your life would challenge anyone. R. Eric Thomas, The Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nibble 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nibble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nibble was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near nibble

Cite this Entry

“Nibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nibble. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

nibble

verb
nib·​ble
ˈnib-əl
nibbled; nibbling
-(ə-)liŋ
: to bite or chew gently or bit by bit
nibble noun
nibbler
-(ə-)lər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on nibble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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