nipple

IPA/ˈnɪpl/
KK[nˈɪpəl]IPA/ˈnɪpl/

nipple — noun

  • nipplesingular
  • nipplesplural

1. the small, raised, darker circle of skin at the centre of a breast or chest. In

1.nounB2
Definition

the small, raised, darker circle of skin at the centre of a breast or chest. In female mammals, milk comes out of the nipple when a baby feeds.

Example

Caio noticed a small rash around his nipple after wearing a new woollen jumper.

collocation: rash around the nipple

The doctor explained that sore nipples during breastfeeding are common in the first few weeks.

collocation: sore nipples

Common collocations
  • sore nipple
  • inverted nipple
  • nipple discharge
  • nipple ring
  • nipple piercing
Synonyms
  • teat

    mainly used for animals rather than humans

  • mammilla

    medical term, rarely used in everyday speech

Grammar Patterns

nipple + verb

adjective + nipple

Usage Note

Both males and females have nipples, though only female nipples typically function for breastfeeding. For the ring of darker skin surrounding the nipple, use 'areola'.

Common Mistakes

The doctor checked her nipple for lumps.
The doctor checked her breast for lumps.
'nipple' refers only to the small raised centre; 'breast' refers to the whole organ.

2. a rubber or silicone part that fits onto the top of a feeding bottle. Its shape

2.nounB1
Definition

a rubber or silicone part that fits onto the top of a feeding bottle. Its shape lets a baby suck milk or other liquid through it, just like feeding from a mother's breast.

Example

Tariro boiled the bottle nipple for five minutes to sterilise it before feeding the baby.

collocation: sterilise the nipple

The silicone nipple has a slow-flow design that works well for newborn infants.

material: silicone nipple

Common collocations
  • bottle nipple
  • silicone nipple
  • rubber nipple
  • slow-flow nipple
  • sterilise the nipple
Synonyms
  • teat

    the common British English term for a bottle nipple

  • bottle teat

    used mainly in UK and Australian English

Grammar Patterns

adjective + nipple

noun + nipple

Usage Note

In American English, 'nipple' is the standard term for this item. In British English, 'teat' is equally common for a bottle nipple. A 'pacifier' (US) or 'dummy' (UK) is a different item used to soothe a baby, not for feeding.

Common Mistakes

The baby sucked on the teat nipple.
The baby sucked on the teat.' or 'The baby sucked on the nipple.
using both 'teat' and 'nipple' together is redundant.

3. a small nozzle, shaped like a nipple, that is fitted onto a machine so that oil

3.nounC1
Definition

a small nozzle, shaped like a nipple, that is fitted onto a machine so that oil or grease can be forced into its moving parts to keep them working smoothly.

Example

Ezra used a grease gun to pump lubricant through the nipple on the tractor axle.

compound: grease nipple

The mechanic warned that a blocked grease nipple could cause the bearings to overheat.

collocation: blocked grease nipple

Common collocations
  • grease nipple
  • oil nipple
  • blocked nipple
  • zerk fitting
  • lubrication nipple
Synonyms
  • grease fitting

    a general term for any fitting that allows grease to enter a machine

  • zerk fitting

    the most common technical name for this type of grease nipple, named after its inventor Oscar Zerk

Grammar Patterns

noun + nipple

adjective + nipple

Usage Note

Often appears in compounds like 'grease nipple' or 'oil nipple' to distinguish this sense from the anatomical one. Also known technically as a 'zerk fitting'.

Word family

  • nippled
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Nipple' is the everyday word for the small raised centre of a breast, used across informal and formal contexts. 'Teat' refers to the same body part but is used almost exclusively for non-human animals such as cows, pigs, or dogs — saying 'teat' for a human sounds unnatural or clinical. 'Areola' is the ring of darker skin that surrounds the nipple; learners often mistakenly use 'nipple' when they mean 'areola'. 'Mammilla' is a strictly medical term for the nipple itself, rarely encountered outside anatomy textbooks. For daily conversation and general writing, 'nipple' is the safest and most natural choice.

nipple ↗teat ↗areolamammilla ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

  • around the nipple
  • in the nipple
  • through the nipple

Etymology

Old EnglishModern English

The word 'nipple' first appeared in English around the 1530s. It probably comes from 'neb' or 'nib' (meaning 'nose' or 'beak' in Old English), combined with a small '-le' suffix to mean 'little nose' or 'little beak' — a fitting description of the nipple's shape. This kind of naming by resemblance is common in English, where body parts are often described by comparison to familiar objects.