fop English · revision 2047

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fɒp/ ''(UK)''; /fɑp/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes from Middle English ''foppe'' “a fool”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) of uncertain origin.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is probably related to Middle English ''fobben'' “to deceive”^(MW Collegiate)^(AHD)^(RHWU) and to German ''foppen'' “to make a fool of”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) Compare [[fob]] “to cheat”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A foolish person (about 1440).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 1670s the word came to mean a man foolishly attentive to his dress and manners,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) perhaps given in mockery by those who thought such things foolish.^(Etymonline) The 18th century was the great age of fops.^(Etymonline) The old sense of “fool” is obsolete,^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) as is the verb ''fop'' “to dupe”.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c1440 – a foolish person.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * a1529 – verb, to play the fool.^(OED 1989)

+ * c1590 – verb, to dupe.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1672–6 – a dandy.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1680s – ''fopling''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A man who is vain about his clothes and manners; a dandy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' A foolish person.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[foppery]]

+ * [[foppish]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fob]]

+ * [[dandy]]

+ * [[coxcomb]]

+ * [[popinjay]]

+ * [[fopling]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}