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noun Uncommon

mop

mop

Mop (noun) means a cleaning tool with a long handle and a bundle of absorbent strands, used for washing floors. Example: “She grabbed a mop to clean up the spilled juice.”

noun
1
A cleaning tool with a long handle and a bundle of absorbent strands, used for washing floors.
"She grabbed a mop to clean up the spilled juice."
2
A thick, untidy head of hair.
"He pushed his mop of curly hair out of his eyes."
verb
1
To clean a surface with a mop, or to wipe something up.
"He mopped the kitchen floor after dinner."
"She mopped her brow with a handkerchief in the heat."

How to use mop

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe floor-cleaning tool (or the action of using it), or informally, a messy head of hair.

Common pairings
mop the floor a mop of hair mop up

Word forms

mopped past tense, mopped past tense, mops plural, mops plural, mops singular, mops singular

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She grabbed a _____ to clean up the spilled juice.

Etymology

From Middle English mappe, probably ultimately from Latin mappa, "napkin, cloth" — the same root as "map" and "napkin."

Origin: Latin

mow swab pout swob mop up wipe up

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “mop” mean?

The word “mop” means a cleaning tool with a long handle and a bundle of absorbent strands, used for washing floors. In plain terms, the floor-cleaning tool (or the action of using it), or informally, a messy head of hair.

How do you pronounce “mop”?

“Mop” is pronounced mop (/mɑp/ in IPA).

How do you use “mop” in a sentence?

Here is “mop” used in a sentence: “She grabbed a mop to clean up the spilled juice.”

What part of speech is “mop”?

Depending on how it is used, “mop” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “mop” come from?

The word “mop” comes from Latin. From Middle English mappe, probably ultimately from Latin mappa, "napkin, cloth" — the same root as "map" and "napkin.".

Is “mop” a common word?

“Mop” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “mop” have?

“Mop” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a cleaning tool with a long handle and a bundle of absorbent strands, used for washing floors.

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