Pop has 31 different meanings across 6 categories:
a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring
"in New England they call sodas tonics"
music of general appeal to teenagers; a bland watered-down version of rock'n'roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on romantic love
"The DJ switched from heavy metal to some classic pop as the crowd began humming along to the sweet, harmonious melodies about teenage heartbreak."
A loud, sharp sound as of a cork coming out of a bottle.
"The upcoming pop will feature rare recordings from the Vienna Philharmonic."
Affectionate form of father.
Pop music.
A Russian Orthodox priest; a parson.
Acronym of point of presence.
A social club and debating society at Eton College.
A popular classical music concert.
In plain English: Pop is the loud, sharp sound you hear when something breaks or explodes.
"We went to the store to buy some soda pops for the party."
Usage: Use "pop" as a noun only when referring to a specific performance or event within a pop music genre, such as a concert by a contemporary artist. Do not use it to describe serious classical concerts, which are typically called recitals or symphonies.
put or thrust suddenly and forcefully
"pop the pizza into the microwave oven"
"He popped the petit-four into his mouth"
burst open with a sharp, explosive sound
"The balloon popped"
"This popcorn pops quickly in the microwave oven"
To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound.
"The metal lid made a loud pop when it finally gave way from pressure."
In plain English: To pop something is to make it burst open with a quick sound, like opening a soda bottle or popping bubble wrap.
"She popped the candy into her mouth."
Usage: Use "pop" to describe making a sudden, sharp noise, such as when a cork leaves a bottle or corn kernels burst while cooking. It often implies a quick, light movement that creates the sound rather than just the auditory event itself.
Popular.
"The delivery driver told me my package would arrive in a pop-size envelope since it was just under the limit for first-class mail."
Acronym of post office preferred. (denoting a standard envelope size)
In plain English: Pop describes something that is very popular and widely liked by many people.
"The pop singer was wearing a bright red pop shirt to the concert."
Usage: The everyday meaning of "pop" as an adjective refers to something that moves with a sudden jump or snap, not the postal acronym. Use it to describe items like popcorn kernels or a pop-up book that spring open quickly.
Used to represent a loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle.
"The champagne cork popped loudly when I twisted the wire cage off the neck."
Acronym of Post Office Protocol.
"The network admin checked the POP logs to see why the email client couldn't download messages from the server."
The word "pop" comes from Middle English, where it originally meant a blow or strike. Its current meaning as a short, sharp sound likely developed through onomatopoeia to describe that specific noise.