choppy
adjUK /ˈt͡ʃɒ.pi/ · US /ˈt͡ʃɑ.pi/
Etymology From chop + -y.
1
Of the surface of water Having many small, rough waves.
- Commander Birch was a trifle uneasy when he found there was more than a popple on the sea; it was, in fact, distinctly choppy.1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 17, in Well Tackled!:
- Safely navigating choppy waters has allowed FirstGroup to pay its first interim dividend for almost a decade, and only its second since payments restarted in August.2022 November 30, “Network News: First pays out interim dividend after reporting £37m pre-tax profit”, in RAIL, number 971, page 24:
1 more example
- “Huh, this lazy river seems like it's getting pretty choppy.”2024 October 31, Stephanie Amante-Ritter, “The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel” (12:39 from the start), in Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 5, episode 3, spoken by Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid):
2
Discontinuous, intermittent.
- The sound is choppy in this video.
3
Of wind Shifting, variable
- Derived terms
- choppily, choppiness
- Related terms
- choppy-changey, chops