ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wop

n.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈwɑp// UK //wˈɒp// wop

n. a very rude and offensive word for a person of Italian descent. It is a slur that people use to be mean or hurtful.

n. a derogatory slur used to refer to a person of Italian descent. Highly offensive and historically associated with racial and ethnic prejudice.


SIMPLE

Using the word wop is extremely rude and should be avoided.

CONTEXTUAL

The film was criticized for using the slur wop to dehumanize the Italian characters.

COMPLEX

Historical linguists note that the term wop originated as a pejorative in early twentieth-century America, reflecting the xenophobia directed toward Italian immigrants during that period.

Synonyms
Origin

From Neapolitan guappo (“dude, stud”), a greeting borrowed from Spanish guapo (“bold, handsome”). Contrary to popular belief, the term is not an acronym of without passport or working off passage, which are backronyms derived from the term. First attested in New York City around 1906, eventually also spreading to Canada, Australia, and Britain.

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