bebop
UK /ˈbiːbɒp/ · US /ˈbibɑp/ noun, verb
Forms bebops bebopping bebopped
- noun (music) An early form of modern jazz played by small groups and featuring driving rhythms and complex, often dissonant harmonies.
- verb (intransitive) To participate in bebop jazz, such as by dancing in a way associated with the genre.
- verb (informal, intransitive, usually with a directional preposition) To walk in an easygoing, carefree manner.
Synonyms
Etymology
Alteration of earlier rebop, nonsense syllables used in scat singing in the 1940s. Compare doo be doo be doo, doo-wop, etc.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “bebop”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details