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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

See Examples For:

blue chip blue-chip

The blue chip index closed above 50000 for the first time in three months and now stands fewer than 200 points from its all-time high.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

For Mukherjea, the lesson is to buy blue chip Indian names that domestic newbies find boring and global investors have sidelined to chase AI stocks elsewhere.

From Barron's ● Nov. 20, 2025

Some of the leaders in the space including San Francisco-based startups such as ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Anthropic, as well as blue chip tech giants including Google’s parent company, Alphabet, and Meta.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 27, 2025

The company has already sold the first 1500 aircraft to blue chip aerospace firms and plans to achieve full CAA certification by 2028 - giving its aircraft permission to fly.

From BBC ● Nov. 26, 2024

“You can bet your last blue chip on the fact that I am taking no chances of a hoss throwing you or cutting up rusty while you’re on his back,” the man returned earnestly.

From The Heart of Canyon Pass by Holmes, Thomas K.

For many investors, a meaningful allocation to S&P 500 index funds, blue-chip companies, value stocks and cash can serve as ballast.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

—European stocks largely edged higher in early trade after falling at the open, with blue-chip indexes turning positive as oil pared gains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

It offended German sensibilities to have an Italian suitor for a blue-chip, analysts said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Alphabet is finally joining the Dow, but you still shouldn’t use the blue-chip index as a market benchmark.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

Like Susan, she’d been smart enough to land herself a job in a blue-chip firm after law school and had then been self-aware enough to realize that she wanted out.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama