What does wop mean?
In modern English, wop is best known as an offensive noun used especially in the United States for an Italian or a person of Italian descent. Its history is closely tied to anti-Italian prejudice and exclusion in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, so the term should be treated as a slur rather than a neutral label. In some dictionaries it also appears as an informal verb meaning to hit or beat someone, a usage often sounding dated or regional. Because the noun and verb have different historical origins, the word is best understood through its senses rather than as a single unit. The concise spelling and distinct pronunciations in British and American English make it familiar, but its history makes familiarity no guide to respectful use. For general readers, the important fact is that wop belongs alongside other ethnic slurs and should normally be avoided except when discussing prejudice, historical usage, or the word itself.
An offensive derogatory term for an Italian, especially an Italian American or a person of Italian descent.
"The novel depicts an Italian immigrant who is called a wop by his coworkers."
This is an ethnic slur. It is normally appropriate only in historical, educational, or analytical contexts that explicitly address its offensiveness.
To hit or beat someone, especially with a heavy blow.
"He wopped the door with his shoulder and burst into the room."
This verb is informal and may sound dated, comic, or regionally marked.
The standard plural is wops, but because the noun is an ethnic slur, plural forms should likewise be restricted to contexts discussing the term or its historical use.
"Historians documented Italian immigrants being called wops."
The one-syllable word that looks harmless carries a powerful history of anti-Italian prejudice in the United States.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wop come from?
The modern word has two historical strands. The offensive noun is generally traced to late nineteenth-century American anti-Italian language and is often linked, though not with complete certainty, to Italian guapo, which was itself influenced by Spanish guapo. The verb belongs to the older English word whop, meaning to strike or beat, and wop has also been used as a shortened or altered spelling of that word.
How wop is actually used
The noun is an ethnic slur and should normally be avoided except when discussing prejudice, historical usage, or the word itself. The verb is informal and often sounds dated, comic, or regionally marked; it can also intensify the violence implied by its context.
Easily confused with wop
With the h, whop is the established word for a blow or beating and for the verb meaning to strike; without it, wop is best known as an ethnic slur.