chap

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈchap

Synonyms of chap next

: a crack in or a sore roughening of the skin caused by exposure to wind or cold

chap

2 of 5

verb

chapped; chapping

intransitive verb

: to open in cracks, slits, or chinks

also : to become cracked, roughened, or reddened especially by the action of wind or cold

hands often chap in winter

transitive verb

: to cause to chap

wind-chapped lips

chap

3 of 5

noun (2)

ˈchäp

ˈchap

: the fleshy covering of a jaw

also : jaw

—usually used in plural

a wolf's chaps

: the forepart of the face

—usually used in plural

chap

4 of 5

noun (3)

ˈchap

chiefly British : fellow sense 4c

Southern US and Midland US : baby, child

chap

5 of 5

Examples of chap in a Sentence

Noun (3) a couple of chaps kindly gave us directions to Buckingham Palace a cute little chap

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the United States, they’re most commonly found in the West, wearing wide-brimmed hats, leather boots, chaps and carrying a lasso or two. —

Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024 Victoria Monét Victoria Monét sported a brown suede ensemble consisting of a crop top and chaps adorned with crystals and silver hardware. —

Hannah Malach, WWD, 12 Aug. 2024

Verb

This rich formula seamlessly glides across and cushions dry, chapped lips in a blanket of moisturizing vegan waxes, antioxidant-rich shea butter, and murumuru seed butter. —

Sarah Han, Allure, 23 Sep. 2024 Aquaphor’s signature moisturizing lip balm seals in moisture and prevents chapping. —

Kristin Canning, SELF, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chap

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English chappes, plural, from chappen

Verb

Middle English chappen; akin to Middle Dutch cappen to cut down

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

short for chapman

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1705, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of chap was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Chap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chap. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

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Kids Definition

chap

1 of 3 noun

ˈchap

: a crack or a sore roughening of the skin from exposure especially to wind or cold

chap

2 of 3 verb

chapped; chapping

: to open in slits or cracks

also : to become cracked, roughened, or reddened

chapped lips

chap

3 of 3 noun

chiefly British

: fellow entry 1 sense 4a

Etymology

Noun

Middle English chappes "cracks in skin," from chappen "to crack"

Verb

Middle English chappen "to crack (of skin)"

Noun

shortened form of chapman "merchant," from Old English cēapman "merchant," from cēap "trade" and man "man" — related to cheap

Medical Definition

chap

1 of 2 verb

ˈchap

chapped; chapping

intransitive verb

: to crack or open in slits

the hands and lips often chap in winter

transitive verb

: to cause to open in slits or cracks

chapped lips

chap

2 of 2 noun

: a crack in or a sore roughening of the skin caused by exposure to wind or cold

Last Updated: 27 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences

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chap

noun (1)

verb

noun (2)

noun (3)

abbreviation

Synonyms

Examples of chap in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near chap

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition