wiper

1 of 2

noun (1)

wip·​er ˈwī-pər How to pronounce wiper (audio)
1
: a person who wipes
2
a
: something (such as a towel or sponge) used for wiping
b
: a moving contact for making connections with the terminals of an electrical device (such as a rheostat)
c
: a usually motor-driven arm with a flexible blade for wiping a window (such as the windshield of an automobile or airplane)

wiper

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural wipers
: a hybrid striped bass that is a cross between a female striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and a male white bass (Morone chrysops) and is silvery-white with dark usually discontinuous or irregular horizontal stripes along the sides

Note: The wiper has an aggressive nature and is bred chiefly as a sport fish for stocking lakes, streams, and reservoirs.

White bass and striped bass have solid stripes on their bodies. The hybrid fish, also called wipers or whiterock bass, have broken horizontal stripes, grow larger than white bass and are more tolerant of warm water than stripers.D'Arcy Egan
While wipers are far from unpalatable, their flesh is of a coarser texture and tastes a little more "fishy" than crappie or walleye fillets.Steve Davis

called also palmetto bass, whiterock bass

compare sunshine bass

Examples of wiper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The escapee, a disk wiper, completely trashed the test system’s hard drive. PCMAG, 4 Mar. 2025 Ransomware isn't going anywhere soon, and the threat of nation-state wiper attacks grows with continuing global geopolitical instability. James Blake, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 Use the wipers to hold it in place if there's wind. Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 In the winter, this trick also helps prolong the wipers’ lifespan. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wiper

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

w- (from white bass) + (str)iper

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wiper was in 1552

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Cite this Entry

“Wiper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wiper. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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