# hops

/ˈhɑps/ (US) · /hˈɒps/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hops
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. brewing ingredient

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the dried flowers of a climbing plant used to make beer taste bitter.

For teachers: the ripened cones of the female hop plant, used in brewing to impart a bitter flavour and act as a preservative.

- The brewer added more hops to the mixture to give the beer a stronger, bitter smell.
- Modern craft breweries often experiment with different varieties of hops to achieve specific citrus or floral notes in their pale ales.

Usage: Usually plural when referring to the ingredient used in brewing.

### 2. short jumps

noun · CEFR B1

more than one short, quick jump on one foot.

For teachers: plural form of a short, bouncy leap, typically performed on a single foot.

- The child took three little hops across the kitchen floor.
- The bird moved across the lawn in a series of quick hops before taking flight into the trees.

## Examples

- This beer has a strong taste of fresh hops.
- Brewers add different varieties of hops at various stages of the boiling process to balance sweetness with bitterness.
- The craft beer revolution has led to a surge in demand for aromatic hops, with many microbreweries prioritizing floral and citrus notes over traditional bittering profiles.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.