DictionarywopEthnic slur
noun

wop

An offensive slur for an Italian or Italian American person.

The teacher explains that “wop” is an offensive ethnic slur.

Etymology

The source is an Italian word for a swaggering or flashy man. English turned it into an anti-Italian slur; acronym explanations are not its origin.

More examples

  • She objects when someone calls her Italian grandfather a “wop.”
  • The memoir describes the pain of being called a “wop.”
  • The editor flags “wops” as derogatory language in the manuscript.

Forms

wop · wops

Similar words

Italian
A neutral term for someone from Italy, without derogatory force.