What does dap mean?
Dap is an informal word for a stylized greeting in which two people bump fists or briefly slap and clasp hands, often accompanied by elaborate hand movements. It arose in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s, particularly within African American military units, campus organizations, and activist circles, where distinctive handshake routines signaled trust and shared identity. Today the gesture is widespread among friends, teammates, and colleagues, and the noun is commonly used in phrases like "give me a dap." A separate, older and chiefly British sense of the verb refers to angling by letting the bait or fly touch and bob gently on the water's surface. Informal in register, dap carries connotations of camaraderie, respect, and cultural connection.
An informal greeting in which two people bump fists or slap and clasp hands in a stylized manner.
"He gave his teammate a dap as they took the field."
Informal; associated primarily with American English.
(Of anglers) to fish by letting the fly or bait touch and bob lightly on the water's surface.
"She spent the afternoon dapping a dry fly over the slow pool."
Chiefly British and somewhat dated.
Used when referring to multiple instances of the greeting gesture.
"The players traded daps as they came off the court."
The dap began in the 1960s and '70s as a coded handshake among Black American soldiers and activists — a greeting that could carry solidarity when words were risky.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dap
The origin of the greeting sense is uncertain; it emerged in American English around the late 1960s or early 1970s, notably among Black soldiers during the Vietnam War era, and its ultimate source has no firmly established etymology. The unrelated angling sense, recorded earlier, refers to letting bait dip and rise lightly on the water, but its precise derivation is likewise not securely documented.
How dap is actually used
The greeting sense is informal and strongly associated with African American Vernacular English and youth culture; it is well understood in American English but may be unfamiliar in some other regions. The angling sense is dated or specialized British usage.
Easily confused with dap
A dab is a light touch or a small amount (or a flatfish), whereas a dap is a fist-bump style greeting gesture.