pop
/pɑp/noun, verb, interjection, adjective
pop is spelled P-O-P: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 74 times per million words in written English, the 1,427th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, pop means “A loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle, especially when the contents are pressurized by fizziness” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of pop is pops or pops..
How many letters and syllables are in pop?
| Letters | 3: P-O-P |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 74 times per million words; the 1,427th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is pop?
Pop appears 74 times per million words in written English, the 1,427th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce pop?
- UK /pɒp/
- US /pɑp/
Pop has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-ca-pop.ogg, En-us-pop.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with pop
Also written: pope.
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
What rhymes with pop?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as pop from its last stressed vowel (/ɑp/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: opp.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of pop
- pops plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- popping participle, present
- popped participle, past
- pope
- pops. plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does pop mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle, especially when the contents are pressurized by fizziness.
Listen to the pop of a champagne cork.
- 2
CanadaUSAn effervescent or fizzy drink, most frequently nonalcoholic; soda pop.
Lunch was sandwiches and a bottle of pop.
- 3
CanadaUSA bottle, can, or serving of effervescent or fizzy drink, most frequently nonalcoholic; a soda pop.
Go in the store and buy us three pops.
- 4
A pop shot: a quick, possibly unaimed, shot with a firearm.
The man with the gun took a pop at the rabbit.
- 5
colloquialA quantity dispensed; a portion.
They cost 50 pence a pop.
- 6
Something that stands out or is distinctive to the mind or senses.
a white dress with a pop of red
- 7
The removal of a data item from the top of a stack.
- 8
A bird, the European redwing.
- 9
colloquialOne's father or sometimes one's grandfather.
My pop used to tell me to do my homework every night.
- 10
Pop music.
- 11
Population.
- 12
A Russian Orthodox parish priest.
verb
- 1
To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound.
The muskets popped away on all sides.
- 2
To burst (something) with a popping sound.
The boy with the pin popped the balloon.
- 3
To broach or open (something) in a way that is instantaneous or sudden and that often (literally or notionally) involves a popping sound; to remove (the closure, the lid or top) from something so as to open it in this manner.
pop the hood
- 4
To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart.
A rabbit popped out of the hole.
- 5
AustraliaUKTo place (something) (somewhere); to move or position (something) with a short movement.
Just pop it in the fridge for now.
- 6
To make a short trip or visit.
I'm just popping round to the newsagent.
- 7
To stand out; to be distinctive to the senses.
This colour really pops.
- 8
To hit (something or someone).
He popped me on the nose.
interjection
- 1
A loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle.
adjective
- 1
Popular.
noun
- 1
Acronym of persistent organic pollutant.
- 2
Acronym of picture outside of picture.
- 3
Acronym of point of presence.
- 4
Acronym of Point of Purchase.
- 5
Acronym of probability of precipitation.
- 6
Acronym of progestogen-only pill or progestin-only pill.
adjective
- 1
Acronym of post office preferred, denoting a standard envelope size.
noun
- 1
A social club and debating society at Eton College.
- 2
The body of college prefects.
- 3
A popular classical music concert.
noun
- 1
Initialism of proof of personhood.
- 2
Initialism of package on a package.
- 3
Initialism of point of presence.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Pop in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Plopp , Sprudelwasser, Sprudel , ploppen , platzen lassen , vorbeischauen |
| Portuguese | alto, estouro , pop |
| Spanish | pop , papi |
| French | pop , PDP |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does pop come from?
From Middle English pop, poppe (“a blow; strike; buffet”) (> Middle English poppen (“to strike; thrust”, verb)), of onomatopoeic origin – used to describe the sound, or short, sharp actions. The physics sense is part of a facetious sequence "snap, crackle, pop", after the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).