noun
Uncommon
chops
Chops (noun) means (informal) A person's mouth, lips or jaw.
noun
1
(informal) A person's mouth, lips or jaw.
2
(informal) A musician's skill at playing or performing.
"Although the bass player had no experience playing in New Orleans, the crowd's enthusiastic response showed that he had the chops to make it in the very particular Crescent City jazz scene."
3
(informal) A person's skill or ability at a particular activity.
"Although he did not know all of the ins and outs of the newsroom, he had the writing chops to become a regular contributor."
"His portfolio expanded as he honed his SEO chops—he was assigned to the Ubisoft account to help launch an Assassin’s Creed title, for example, and he produced YouTube content for Telemundo during the 2018 World Cup."
— Brendan I. Koerner, Watch This Guy Work, and You’ll Finally Understand the TikTok Era (2023)
4
The place where two tides meet, making the sea rough.
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Etymology
From the plural of chop (“jaw, side of a harbour”). The jazz slang sense “musical ability” is a reference to the use of the lips to blow instruments.
Rhymes for chops
See all rhymes for chops →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of chops?
"chops" (noun) means (informal) A person's mouth, lips or jaw.
What are the different meanings of chops?
"chops" has 3 main meanings: 1. (informal) A person's mouth, lips or jaw; 2. (informal) A musician's skill at playing or performing; 3. (informal) A person's skill or ability at a particular activity.
