Quib

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A sharp, mocking remark aimed at belittling or teasing someone, often delivered with a sarcastic edge
2. A cutting jibe or taunt meant to provoke amusement at another person's expense
3. A pointed, sarcastic comment intended to ridicule or make fun of someone in passing

Etymology: "Quib" is a clipped form of "quibble," and the source simply points there, so its history is the history of that longer word. Its earliest sense was not the petty argument we know today but a kind of verbal trick: a quibble was a pun or evasive wordplay used to dodge the real point of a discussion, and the word is thought to have been a diminutive or variant of "quibs," a term from the same tricky-talk world. Over time the emphasis shifted from clever evasion to the fussy objection itself. Because "quib" is a shortened form, it carries the same sense as its parent. Speakers tend to clip words that are used often, and "quib" is used most as a noun for a small, nitpicking point: a quib is a minor complaint raised against something that is otherwise sound. The clipped form is informal and mostly found in everyday speech and in phrases about small objections.