mop

mop — noun

1. a cleaning implement with a long stick and soft, water-absorbing fibres at the e

1.nounA2
Definition

a cleaning implement with a long stick and soft, water-absorbing fibres at the end, designed for cleaning hard floor surfaces

Example

Meera filled the bucket with soapy water and picked up the mop.

collocation: mop and bucket

The old mop in the kitchen needs to be replaced with a new one.

Common collocations
  • mop and bucket
  • spinning mop
  • old mop
  • wash the mop
  • mop handle
Synonyms
  • sponge mop

    a type of mop with a rectangular sponge head instead of strings of cloth

  • swab

    used mainly for cleaning ship decks or laboratory surfaces; less common in everyday home contexts

Usage Note

A mop is usually used together with a bucket of water mixed with floor cleaner.

mop — verb

Word family

  • mop up
    phrasal verbB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe making a surface free of dirt, but they differ in method and intensity. 'Mop' specifically means using a mop tool with water, usually on floors. 'Scrub' implies rubbing hard with a brush or cloth to remove stuck-on dirt. 'Wipe' is a gentler action using a cloth, often on smaller surfaces like counters or tables. 'Wash' is broader and typically involves soap and water, but not necessarily a mop. 'Clean' is the most general and can replace any of the others in informal use. For example, you mop a kitchen floor after cooking, but you scrub a burnt pot, wipe a spill off the counter, wash your hands, and clean the whole house.

mop ↗scrubwipe ↗wash ↗clean ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • up (mop up)

Phrases

  • mop and bucket
  • mop the floor

Prepositions

  • with (mop with soap)
  • off (mop off the table)
  • up (mop up the spill)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'mop' traces back to the Latin 'mappa', meaning 'cloth' or 'napkin'. This also gave us the word 'map', which comes from 'mappa mundi' — literally 'cloth of the world'. The term entered English via Old French and by the 15th century referred to a bundle of rags or cloth attached to a stick for cleaning floors.