A witty or cutting remark that gets a big laugh or makes a sharp point; something that moves fast and has impact.
From English 'zing' (imitating a sharp, fast sound), with the agent suffix '-er' added. The word emerged in American slang in the early 20th century, likely from the onomatopoeia of something zipping through the air.
The word 'zinger' is pure onomatopoeia plus creativity—'zing' already sounds fast and punchy, so adding '-er' turned a sound into a thing, which is how English speakers constantly invent new words by treating sounds as building blocks.
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