Chap
/tʃæp/
Definitions
2 meaningsA man or boy.
/tʃæp/
A man or boy; a fellow.
He's a good chap.
💡 Simply: A chap is just another word for a guy or a fellow, often used informally between friends. Imagine saying, 'Hey, chap, how's it going?'
👶 For kids: A chap is like a boy or a man.
More Examples
That chap over there is my friend.
How It's Used
"That chap over there is quite funny."
"A right decent chap, he is."
A crack or fissure.
/tʃæp/
A crack or fissure, usually in skin or wood.
There was a chap in the wood.
💡 Simply: A chap is a little crack or split, like when your lips get dry and crack in the cold. It’s a small break in something.
👶 For kids: A chap is a little crack.
More Examples
The farmer got a chap on his hand.
How It's Used
"The wood had a large chap in it."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
From Middle English chappe, from Old English ceappe "jaw, mouth, cheek," related to Old High German chaffa "jaw," probably from Proto-Germanic *kappō, literally "that which is cut or broken." The modern meaning shifted to denote a fellow or a man.
Historically, 'chap' was more commonly used to refer to a jaw or cheek. Its current meaning as a fellow is a later development.
Memory tip
Think of a 'chapter' in a book – each chap is a character in your story.
Word Origin
"jaw, mouth, cheek"