bebop

[bee-bop]

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noun Jazz.

bop¹.

Origin of bebop

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; probably from the nonsense syllables typical of scat singing

Related formsbe·bop·per, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for bebop

soul, rap, rock, melody, piece, singing, tune, opera, bop, swing, blues, boogie, boogie-woogie, ragtime, Dixieland, jive, hymn, modern, classical, song

Examples from the Web for bebop

Contemporary Examples of bebop

Then he called out “Cherokee,” the name of one of the most famous, and fastest, tunes in the bebop repertoire.
Why Comedians Still Think Bill Cosby Is a Genius
Mark Whitaker
October 5, 2014
Jazz was outsider music that moved mainstream, and then with bebop moved back on the edges.
Defining American Cool From Walt Whitman to Tina Fey and Johnny Depp
Jason Berry
March 25, 2014
The bebop legend drove jazz into territories that continue to awe listeners with ears fast enough to keep up.
What Made Charlie Parker Great? Reviewing Stanley Crouch’s Biography on Bird
Stuart Klawans
September 23, 2013

British Dictionary definitions for bebop

bebop

noun

the full name for bop 1 (def. 1)

Derived Formsbebopper, noun

Word Origin for bebop

C20: imitative of the rhythm of the music

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for bebop

1944, from bebop, rebop, bop, nonsense words in jazz lyrics, attested from at least 1928. The style is associated with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.