chap

1 of 5

noun (1)

: 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
1
: the fleshy covering of a jaw
also : jaw
usually used in plural
a wolf's chaps
2
: the forepart of the face
usually used in plural

chap

4 of 5

noun (3)

1
chiefly British : fellow sense 4c
2
Southern US and Midland US : baby, child

chap

5 of 5

abbreviation

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Watch as wranglers outfitted in boots, chaps, and hats reminiscent of the early American days drive cattle through the town. Rebecca Deurlein, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 Her recent wardrobe has revolved around pieces like denim cut-offs, cowboy boots, brimmed hats, and even suede chaps. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
In this story: First, what exactly are chapped lips? Isadora Baum, Allure, 19 Nov. 2024 Find it on Amazon Indulge In The Irresistible Scent Of This Tula Lip Treatment The Tula Lip Treatment is a luxurious remedy for dry, chapped lips. Hyphensocial Contributors, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chap 

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

Dictionary Entries Near chap

Cite this Entry

“Chap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chap. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

chap

1 of 3 noun
: 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
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
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

More from Merriam-Webster on chap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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