lop

1 of 3

noun

: material cut away from a tree
especially : parts discarded in lumbering

lop

2 of 3

verb (1)

lopped; lopping

transitive verb

1
a(1)
: to cut off branches or twigs from
(2)
: to sever from a woody plant
b(1)
archaic : to cut off the head or limbs of
(2)
: to cut from a person
2
a
: to remove superfluous parts from
b
: to eliminate as unnecessary or undesirable
usually used with off

lop

3 of 3

verb (2)

lopped; lopping

intransitive verb

: to hang downward : droop

Examples of lop in a Sentence

Verb (1) the hair stylist started by lopping off several inches from her long tresses, before beginning to shape what was left
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The plaintiffs described the final round of admissions, called the lop. Anemona Hartocollis, New York Times, 25 July 2023 Its performance, though flavored more along the lines of nutmeg than tabasco, whips up enthusiasm and lops off miles. Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 15 June 2023
Verb
Markets remain convinced the Fed will lop off another 25 basis points at its meeting that concludes Nov. 7, two days after the election. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2024 Loppers, sometimes called lopping shears or secateurs, are like heavy duty hand pruners with bigger blades and longer handles. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lop 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English loppe

Verb (2)

perhaps imitative

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1519, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb (2)

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lop was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lop

Cite this Entry

“Lop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lop. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lop

verb
ˈläp
lopped; lopping
1
: to cut branches or twigs from a tree
2
: to remove unnecessary or undesirable parts from something
usually used with off
lopper noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lop

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!