Bop
/bɒp/noun
To strike lightly or dance energetically, especially to jazz or popular music.
Did you know?The jazz sense of “bop” emerged in the 1940s as a shortened form of “bebop,” a name likely shaped by the clipped syllables of jazz musicians’ scat singing.
Etymological Timeline
Early Modern English
English
bop
“A verb meaning to strike or hit; probably expressive or imitative in origin.”
19th Century
English
bop
“Used in colloquial English for a light blow or quick hit.”
1940s
American English
bebop
“A modern jazz style characterized by fast tempos, complex harmonies, and improvisation.”
1940s–1950s
American English
bop
“A shortened name for bebop and, by extension, its music and musicians.”
20th–21st Century
English
bop
“To dance energetically or describe a particularly enjoyable song.”