bop

¹ American  

[bop] / bɒp /

noun

1. Also called bebop.  early modern jazz developed in the early 1940s and characterized by often dissonant triadic and chromatic chords, fast tempos and eccentric rhythms, intricate melodic lines punctuated by pop-tune phrases, and emphasizing the inventiveness of soloists.

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verb (used without object)

bopped, bopping

1. Slang. to move, go, or proceed (often followed byon down ).

   Let's bop on down to the party.

bop ² American  

[bop] / bɒp /

verb (used with object)

bopped, bopping

1. to strike, as with the fist or a stick; hit.

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noun

1. a blow.

bop ¹ British  

/ bɒp /

noun

1. Originally called: bebop.  a form of jazz originating in the 1940s, characterized by rhythmic and harmonic complexity and instrumental virtuosity

2. informal a session of dancing to pop music

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verb

1. informal (intr) to dance to pop music

bop ² British  

/ bɒp /

verb

1. (tr) to strike; hit

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noun

1. a blow

Other Word Forms

• bopper
  noun

Etymology

Origin of bop¹

1945–50, (be)bop

Origin of bop²

First recorded in 1935–40; variant of bob ³

Explanation

If you bop your little brother, you hit him lightly. If you do this, he's probably going to bop you right back. The origin of the word bop is imitative: bop sounds like the noise your hand makes when you bop someone or something. You can also use bop to mean bebop, the fast-tempo jazz that became popular in the 1940s, after the swing era. The word comes from the jazz tradition of singing nonsense words like bebop and rebop.

Example Sentences

He adds a funky countermelody, reminiscent of Horace Silver or Lee Morgan, and remakes “Billy Joe” into a remarkable slice of hard bop, a 12-minute roller-coaster ride.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

Now, he’s lost the one place he could bop around as freely and easily as any other 10-year-old.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2025

The former president also tossed a barb at a Trump town hall on Monday, during which the candidate paused questions to bop along to his playlist for nearly 40 minutes.

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2024

And the celebrity names don’t stop there: bop to Charlie XCX, sing along to Rag'n'Bone Man’s tunes, and party to former X Factor contestant Ella Henderson’s songs.

From BBC • May 24, 2024

“Not selling today. Figured I’d just come out and bop around a little bit. See what bait is getting the bite, you know?” he replied.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds