op
Pluralops
Pluralops
- 1Short for operation. People use it in everyday talk.
The soldiers trained for weeks before the secret op.
The police op to catch the car thieves took months to plan.
UsageOften a knee op. In formal writing, say operation.
- 2Sayoh-PEEUS/ˌoʊˈpiː/UK/ˌəʊˈpiː/Short for original poster: the person who started an online discussion.
The OP asked for help with her laptop, and lots of people replied.
Did the OP ever say whether the fix worked?
UsageYou may see ask OP or ask the OP.
- 3Short for overpowered: in a game, much too strong.
This sword is OP, so everyone wants it.
The new character is OP, and nobody can beat her.
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- 4Short for operator: a person who works a machine, such as a camera.
The camera op walked backward while filming the actors.
Ask the lighting op to make the stage a little darker.
UsageOften camera op.
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- 5Short for op art, art that uses shapes and colors to trick the eye.
She bought an op poster with black and white stripes that seem to move.
The museum has a whole room of op prints.
UsageFor the art movement, say op art.
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- 6Sayoh-PEEUS/ˌoʊˈpiː/UK/ˌəʊˈpiː/Short for opening theme, the music that plays at the start of a show.
I can't stop singing the OP from that show.
The band that sings the OP is playing a concert in our city.
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- 7Short for opinion: what someone thinks, used online to ask for other people's views.
Ops on my new haircut? Be honest!
I shared my story online and asked for ops before sending it in.
UsageOften Ops? after you share something.
- 8Initialism of Ordo Praedicatorum. It names the Dominicans, a religious group also called the Order of Preachers.
The talk at the church was given by Sister Maria Lopez, OP.
Father Daniel, OP, teaches at a college run by the Dominicans.
UsageGoes after a name: Brother John, OP.
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Less common meanings
- 9Short for opponent: someone you compete or fight against.
My op in the final was much taller than me.
Shake hands with your op before the match starts.
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- 10Sayoh-PEEUS/ˌoʊˈpiː/UK/ˌəʊˈpiː/Short for observation post: a place where soldiers or police keep watch.
The soldiers set up an OP on the hill above the village.
From the OP, they could see every car coming into town.
UsageOften man an OP.
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- 11Short for out of print: no longer sold by the publisher.
That book is OP, so I bought a used copy.
The record store puts a red sticker on OP albums.
UsageIn normal writing, say out of print.
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- 12
- 13To make someone an operator in an IRC chat, so they can help run it.
Please op me so I can change the channel's topic.
The bot ops every regular user when they join the chat.
Oppositedeop
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- 14Sayoh-PEEUS/ˌoʊˈpiː/UK/ˌəʊˈpiː/Short for outpatient, a patient who goes home the same day.
He was treated as an OP and went home that afternoon.
She waited two hours at the OP clinic for her X-ray.
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- 15To shop at charity shops, or buy something second-hand there.
Where did you op that cool jacket?
I opped this warm coat for three dollars.
UsageSay I opped it: I bought it at an op shop.
- 16Short for overplayed: of a song, heard so many times that people are tired of it.
I loved that song in June, but now it's OP.
Every station plays that song, so it's totally OP now.
UsageIn games, OP means too strong; here it is about songs.
Note
- 17Abbreviation of overproof. Said of strong liquor that has more alcohol than the usual standard.
- 18Abbreviation of organophosphate. A type of chemical often used to kill insects or weeds.
- 19Initialism of opposite prompt. The right side of a stage, as the actors see it.
- 20Short for Office of the President: the government office that works for the president.
- 21Initialism of other person's. A cigarette you ask someone else to give you.
- 22Abbreviation of original publishing. Used in the music business.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
A short form of words like opponent, operation, and operator.
From Japanese OP, which comes from the English word opening.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts
- English OP comes from Japanese OP. en.wiktionary.org
- Japanese OP ultimately derives from English opening. en.wiktionary.org