bebop
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- bebopper noun
Etymology
Origin of bebop
An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; probably from the nonsense syllables typical of scat singing
Compare meaning
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Her bowed tones flow like a violinist’s, her plucked solos sometimes bite like a bebop trumpet.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026
It was prompted by a dinner conversation, where Evangeline suggested the family could just get on Carlile's boat and "bebop up to Canada" if gay marriage was outlawed.
From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025
By the late ’40s, he had become a member of the group of arriving new young players associated with bebop.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024
Heath, who was known as Tootie, was primarily a bebop and hard bop drummer but was adept in a range of styles.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 12, 2024
The fact that the ‘new’ was narrowly defined as ‘contemporary classical’ rather than, say, bebop is indicative of this.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
