Meaning
To take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
The verb is derived from Late Middle English nebillen, nebyll (“to peck away at (something), nibble; (figurative) to attempt to sing (a part of a song)”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Middle Low German nibbelen (“to eat in small bites, peck”) (modern German Low German nibbeln, gnibbeln, knibbeln), possibly a variant of knabbelen, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gnet- (“to press”) or imitative. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Middle Dutch cnibbelen (modern Dutch knibbelen (“to gnaw; to murmur”), nibbelen (“to nibble”)) * Saterland Frisian nibje (“to nibble”) * West Frisian knibbelje
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 16 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-04-22NBLECIV
- 2026-02-08IBELNTU
- 2025-12-18IUBNFEL
- 2025-12-14BVANIEL
- 2025-08-18IBNFELX
- 2025-04-19NAIEBFL
- 2024-12-22NBTIELU
- 2024-11-17NABEILP
- 2024-05-21LUBNEFI
- 2024-03-22BENIGLV
- 2023-12-12NVALIBE
- 2023-11-12LBEIMNT
+4 earlier appearances in the archive.