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PlainSpell

prop

/pɹɑp/noun, verb

prop is spelled P-R-O-P: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears 5.9 times per million words in written English, the 10,028th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, prop means “An object placed against or under another, to support it; anything that supports” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of prop is props.

How many letters and syllables are in prop?

Letters4: P-R-O-P
Syllables1 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing5.9 times per million words; the 10,028th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Rhymes with

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 prop?

Prop appears 5.9 times per million words in written English, the 10,028th 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 prop?

  • UK /pɹɒp/
  • US /pɹɑp/
  • Canada /pɹɒp/

Prop 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: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-prop.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with prop?

The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as prop from its last stressed vowel (/ɑp/):

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 prop

  • props plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • propping participle, present
  • propped participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does prop mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    An object placed against or under another, to support it; anything that supports.

    They stuck a block of wood under it as a prop.

  2. 2

    The player on either side of the hooker in a scrum.

  3. 3

    Any of the seashells in the game of props.

  4. 4

    An item placed on a stage or set to create a scene or scenario in which actors perform.

    They used the trophy as a prop in the movie.

  5. 5

    colloquialA fake or fabricated version of an object, whether or not it is used for a scene.

    We threw a prop squirrel off of a tower.

  6. 6

    An item placed within an advertisement in order to suggest a style of living etc.

  7. 7

    The propeller of an aircraft or boat.

  8. 8

    USA proposition, especially on an election-day ballot.

  9. 9

    A part of a plant reared for its multiplication.

  10. 10

    slangTestosterone propionate.

  11. 11

    Clipping of propellant (“rocket fuel”).

  12. 12

    informalClipping of proposition player.

  13. 13

    obsoleteslangA blow; the act of striking someone.

  14. 14

    obsoleteA scarf pin.

verb

  1. 1

    To support or shore up something.

    Try using a phone book to prop up the table where the foot is missing.

  2. 2

    To play rugby in the prop position.

  3. 3

    To position the feet of (a person) while sitting, lying down, or reclining so that the knees are elevated at a higher level.

  4. 4

    AustraliaTo stop suddenly or unexpectedly; derived from the situation where a horse might suddenly halt of its own accord, digging its front hooves into the ground to brace itself from forward movement, potentially unseating its rider.

  5. 5

    UKobsoleteslangTo knock (a person) down.

  6. 6

    To manually start the engine of a propeller-driven aircraft with no electric starter by pulling vigorously on one of the propeller blades using the hands, so that the propeller can catch ignition.

noun

as PROP
  1. 1

    Abbreviation of propylthiouracil.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Prop in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchcale, support, soutien (object placed against or under another, to…), pillier (rugby: player next to the hooker in a scrum), caler, poser (support)
GermanStütze, Unterstützung (object placed against or under another, to…), unterstützen, halten, stützen, abstützen (support)
Portugueseescora, apoio, amparo (object placed against or under another, to…), sustentar (support), acessório, objeto de cena (item placed on a stage to create a scene)
Spanishapoyo, puntal, sostén, apeo, paral, estribadero (object placed against or under another, to…)

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 prop come from?

From Middle English proppe (“a prop, support, support for a vine or plant”), from Middle Dutch proppe (“support, support for a vine, stopper for a bottle”). Compare Middle Low German proppe (“plug, stopper”), German Pfropfen (“plug”), Danish prop (“plug, stopper”).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after prop