# chops

> English word · Noun · IPA /t͡ʃɑps/ · frequency rank #17,567

## Definitions
1. plural of chop
2. Jaws, lips, mouth.
3. One's skill at musical interpretation and delivery; musical performance ability.
4. One's skill at any endeavor; ability, talent; competency.
5. The area where two tides meet and cause an irregular (choppy) sea.
6. A pattern that involves carrying the object with the hand over the next object before throwing it.
7. Food.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **cop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cop)
- **cos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cos)
- **CPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cps)
- **CHP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-chp)
- **copy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-copy)
- **cops** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cops)
- **crop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-crop)
- **cups** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cups)
- **cope** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cope)
- **cows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cows)
- **cons** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cons)
- **chow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-chow)
- **coop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-coop)
- **chou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-chou)
- **CMOS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cmos)
- **coos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-coos)
- **Choy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-choy)
- **Clos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-clos)
- **coms** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-coms)
- **cross** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chops-vs-cross)

## Common misspellings (8)
`cchops`, `chhops`, `chopps`, `chopss`, `chosp`, `chpos`, `cohps`, `hcops`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/chops