late 14c., "seller of alcoholic liquors," of uncertain origin (see tipple). In the sense of "habitual drinker" it dates from 1570s.
Entries linking to tippler
tipple v.
c. 1500 (implied in tippling), "sell alcoholic liquor by retail," of unknown origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source (such as Norwegian dialectal tipla "to drink slowly or in small quantities"). Meaning "drink (alcoholic beverage) too much" is first attested 1550s. Related: Tippled.