floppy
/ˈflɒpi/
adjective
Origin
English
flop — to fall or drop heavily
Overview
Meaning Now
- tending to hang or move in a loose, ungainly way; limp
- relating to a flexible magnetic storage disk, commonly called a floppy disk
Language path
Middle English → English
Earliest form
flop
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term 'flop' emerged in the late 17th century to describe the sound or motion of falling heavily. By adding the suffix '-y', 'floppy' began describing things that lack rigidity. In the mid-20th century, the term 'floppy disk' became a hallmark of early personal computing, naming the storage medium based on the physical flexibility of the disk's internal magnetic plastic platter.
Evolution
- 1670s
flop
“to fall heavily; move with a thudding sound”
Representing an onomatopoeic movement.
- 1690s
floppy
“limp, hanging loosely”
Adjectival formation from 'flop' with the suffix '-y'.
- 1970s
floppy disk
“flexible magnetic disk for data storage”
Refers to the flexible nature of the media compared to rigid hard drives.
Connections
Word parts
flop
root
to move loosely or heavily
y
suffix
forming an adjective with the quality of
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Related to floppy
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.