What does chop mean?
To chop is to cut something into pieces using repeated blows of a blade or axe, making it one of the most fundamental verbs in cooking and woodworking. The word also functions as a noun, most familiarly for a thick slice of meat on the bone — lamb chops and pork chops being everyday staples. Figuratively, chopping suggests decisive reduction: budgets get chopped, prices get chopped, and in British English someone who loses their job has 'got the chop.' A further noun sense denotes a sharp downward blow, while an older commercial meaning refers to the official seal stamped on goods in parts of Asia. Chopping implies force and repetition rather than precision — one chops wood, dices onions. The verb carries a brisk, physical connotation and appears frequently in idioms like 'chop and change,' meaning to shift restlessly between options.
To cut into pieces with repeated blows of a sharp instrument.
"Chop the parsley coarsely and sprinkle over the dish."
A thick slice of meat, usually containing a bone, cut from the rib, loin, or shoulder of an animal.
"We grilled pork chops for dinner."
A sharp downward blow or cutting stroke.
"The karate instructor demonstrated a powerful chop."
An official seal, license, or stamp, especially in East Asian trade contexts.
"Every shipment carried the merchant's chop."
Used when referring to multiple cuts of meat or, informally in jazz, to skill ('he's got great chops').
"The butcher wrapped six lamb chops in paper."
The phrase 'getting the chop' — British slang for being fired — comes straight from the butcher's block: what happens to meat eventually happens to jobs.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chop
'Chop' first appears in English in the late Middle English period, likely as a variant of related words such as 'chap' and 'chop' meaning to barter or strike, possibly imitative in origin or influenced by Old Norse and Middle Low German cognates. Its core senses of striking and cutting developed naturally from this root. The meat sense emerged in the 16th–17th centuries, and the Asian seal sense derives independently from Hindi and Punjabi 'chhap,' meaning an impression or stamp.
Related word forms
How chop is actually used
'Chop' is common in everyday speech and cooking. In British English, 'to get the chop' is informal for losing one's job. As a noun referring to an Asian seal or trademark, it is somewhat dated but still used in historical and trade contexts.
Easily confused with chop
A chip is a small broken-off piece or a fried potato, while chop means to cut with heavy blows or refers to a cut of meat.