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• blue chip
  blue chip

  noun

  a blue-colored chip of high value.
• blue-chip
  blue-chip

  adjective

  of, relating to, or constituting a blue chip.

blue chip

¹ American  

noun

1. Chiefly Poker. a blue-colored chip of high value.

2. a common stock issued by a major company that has financial strength, stability against fluctuations, and a good record of dividend payments: regarded as a low-risk investment.

3. a secure and valuable item or property held in reserve.

   The airfield was a blue chip in the struggle for military supremacy.

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blue-chip ² American  

[bloo-chip] / ˈbluˌtʃɪp /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or constituting a blue chip.

2. having outstanding or exemplary qualities within a specified category; leading.

   a group of blue-chip scientists; blue-chip stock.

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blue chip British  

noun

1. a gambling chip with the highest value

2. finance

   1. a stock considered reliable with respect to both dividend income and capital value

   2. ( as modifier )

      a blue-chip company

3. (modifier) denoting something considered to be a valuable asset

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Etymology

Origin of blue chip¹

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

Origin of blue-chip²

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Blue chip Chinese stocks on Monday hit their lowest level since February, 2019, and given China's weight in Asian and emerging market equity indexes, Tuesday could be a challenge.

From Reuters • Oct. 23, 2023

Blue chip firms last year offered their lowest pay increases in eight years, at 1.86%.

From Reuters • Mar. 15, 2022

Blue chip corporations that helped underwrite the 2012 convention, including Microsoft and AT&T, are now facing a pressure campaign to stay away.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2016

Blue chip companies like JP Morgan Chase pay millions of dollars to sponsor the tournament.

From New York Times • Aug. 22, 2014

Blue chip companies love to throw money at the World Cup because it is followed passionately throughout most of the world.

From Forbes • Jun. 5, 2014