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Added 9 October 2026

chop

/t͡ʃɒp/ noun

In Latin: praecīsum Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about chop at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The irregular motion of waves (usually caused by wind blowing in a direction opposite to the tide).
the boat headed into the chop
A small cut of meat including part of a rib.
A jaw.
I'll hit him on the chops

verb

Cut into pieces.
Chop wood
Move suddenly.
Form or shape by chopping.
chop a hole in the ground

Origin

From Middle English choppen, chappen (“to chop”), of uncertain origin, possibly onomatopoeic (cf. Swedish tjoff), or a variant of chap (“to become cracked”). Cognate with Scots chap (“to chop”). Compare also Saterland Frisian kappe, kapje (“to hack; chop; lop off”), Dutch kappen (“to chop, cut, hew”), German Low German kappen (“to cut off; clip”), German kappen (“to cut; clip”), German dialectal chapfen, kchapfen (“to chop into small pieces”), Albanian copë (“piece, chunk”), Old English *ċippian (in forċippian (“to cut off”)). Perhaps related to chip.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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