Plural of zipper: fasteners made of two rows of metal or plastic teeth that interlock when a slider is pulled along them.
From 'zip,' a word imitating the sound of a zipper closing quickly. The device was invented in 1913 and originally called a 'clasp locker,' but the onomatopoetic 'zip' caught on with the public and eventually became the official name.
The zipper is a relatively recent invention (1913), and before that people used buttons, laces, and hooks—what's fascinating is how quickly 'zip' (an onomatopoeia) replaced all technical names because it matched the actual sound, proving that imitating sounds helps words stick in our brains!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.