chipper

Etymology 1

From English dialectal kipper (“nimble; frisky”), of obscure origin. Perhaps akin to Old Norse kjapt (“briskly; impetuously”), kippa ("to snatch; pull; jerk" > Middle English kippen (“to seize”)), kipra (“to wrinkle; draw tightly”), Norwegian kjapp (“fast; brisk”), Dutch kippen (“to seize; catch; grip”). More at kip.

adj

1. Exhibiting a lively optimism; in high spirits, cheerful.
   Van Halen orders garlic strewn about Lucy's bedroom. she feels a bit chipperer the next morning, so Mina heads off to help poor Harker in Budapest. 2013, Michelle Witte, Faker's Guide to the Classics, page 66
   The idea of a merchant selling both totems of pure evil and frozen yogurt (he calls it frogurt!) is amusing in itself, as is the idea that frogurt could be cursed, but it’s really the Shopkeeper’s quicksilver shift from ominous doomsaying to chipper salesmanship that sells the sequence. April 29, 2012, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992)”, in AV Club

Etymology 2

chip + -er

noun

1. Someone who or something which chips (e.g. wood).
   1. (in particular, US) A machine that reduces organic matter to compost; depending on size, whole tree trunks are reduced to sawdust; a woodchipper.
   2. A machine that chips potatoes into pieces that are ready to be fried and made into chips.
2. (Ireland, slang) A fish and chip shop, or more generally a cheap fast food outlet, typically selling chips and other deep-fried foods.
3. A company that manufactures potato chips/potato crisps.
   Bichel asked chippers several thought-provoking questions about potato procurement, storage and handling. 1974, Potato Chipper, volume 33, numbers 16-27, page 25
   Pet Inc.'s Laura Scudder division, a West Coast region chipper, has revamped its Dittos brand stack chips. 1978, Joan Dye Gussow, The Feeding Web: Issues in Nutritional Ecology, page 151
4. (sports) A player who chips the ball.
5. (golf) A golf club for making chip shots.
6. (slang) A deep frier.
7. (US, smoking) An occasional tobacco user, or more generally drug user.

Etymology 3

Compare cheep, chirp.

verb

1. (UK, dialect) To chirp or chirrup.
   [a squirrel] […] eyeing me inquisitively, chippering, and shaking his tail 1884, Clinton Hart Merriam, The Mammals of the Adirondack Region, Northeastern New York