dipper

/ˈdɪpər/
noun
  1. A tool or container used for dipping, especially for serving liquids like water or punch.
    • He scooped out the soup with a wooden dipper.
    • She used a small dipper to fill the cups with lemonade.
    • The well had a metal dipper hanging on a chain.
  2. A small, dark bird that lives near fast-flowing streams and often dips its body into the water.
    • We watched the dipper bob up and down before diving for insects.
    • A dipper perched on a rock in the middle of the stream.
    • The dipper's white chest makes it easy to spot against the dark water.
  3. A person who dips something, such as a worker who dips objects into a coating or a thief who picks pockets.
    • In old slang, a dipper was a pickpocket who worked in crowds.
    • The factory employed several dippers to coat the wires with plastic.
    • The dipper carefully lowered the metal parts into the acid bath.
  4. The Big Dipper or Little Dipper, a group of stars in the shape of a ladle.
    • Campers often use the Big Dipper to find their way at night.
    • The Big Dipper is one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky.
    • You can easily find the North Star by looking at the end of the Little Dipper.
Synonyms