flops

American  

[flops] / flɒps /

noun

Computers.

1. a measure of computer speed, equal to the number of floating-point operations the computer can perform per second (used especially in combination withmega-, giga-, tera- ).

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flops British  

acronym

1. floating-point operations per second: used as a measure of computer processing power (in combination with a prefix)

   megaflops

   gigaflops

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Etymology

Origin of flops

First recorded in 1985–90; shortening of fl(oating-point) op(erations per) s(econd)

Example Sentences

But there have been plenty of epic flops, too.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026

The filmmaker returned to form, following several commercial flops, with 2007's The Bucket List, which starred Nicholson alongside Morgan Freeman as two terminally ill men who set about fulfilling their life ambitions before they die.

From BBC • Dec. 15, 2025

After months of pushback and a two summer movie flops, she’s now on a press campaign for her latest film, The Housemaid.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2025

But before Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch was ultimately crowned, chaos reigned -- from allegations of an insult to her intellect, to judges quitting and participants taking flops on and off the stage.

From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025

She flops onto her back and exhales toward the ceiling.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller