A British term for a female bus conductor who collects fares from passengers.
From 'clip' (to cut or punch tickets) + '-ie' (diminutive suffix). Used primarily in mid-20th century Britain when conductors would clip or punch passengers' tickets.
This word captures a specific moment in history—before automated payment systems, buses had conductors whose whole job was literally clipping tickets! The '-ie' ending is very British and often created affectionate or occupational nicknames like 'postie' for postal workers.
Informal occupational term (bus conductor) used predominantly for women during mid-20th century; reflects gender segregation in transit labor where women held this role while men dominated driver positions.
Use 'conductor' or 'bus conductor' for gender-neutral occupational reference.
["conductor","bus conductor","transit attendant"]
Women clippies were central to British and Commonwealth public transport during WWII and after, often highlighted as symbols of female independence while simultaneously kept in lower-paid roles than male drivers.
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