OP
Abbreviation with 7 meanings
| Stands for | Original poster |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 7 |
| Categories | Texting & Internet Slang, Medical, Military, Arts & Entertainment, Religion |
| Also written | Op. |
OP has seven meanings. The most common are Original poster (social media) and Overpowered (gaming slang); it can also stand for Outpatient, Opening (anime theme song), Observation post, Opus and Order of Preachers.
Meanings of OP at a glance
| # | OP stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Original poster | Texting & Internet Slang › Social Media |
| 2 | Overpowered | Texting & Internet Slang › Gaming Slang |
| 3 | Outpatient | Medical › Hospital |
| 4 | Opening (anime theme song) | Texting & Internet Slang › Fandom and Fan Fiction |
| 5 | Observation post | Military › Military Term |
| 6 | Opus | Arts & Entertainment › Music |
| 7 | Order of Preachers | Religion › Religious Title |
1. Original poster
Texting & Internet Slang · Social Media Abbreviations
Person who started a thread or posted the content under discussion on Reddit, forums, 4chan or comment sections. Commenters address them directly ("OP, update us!") or refer to the post itself as "the OP."
Example: OP, you need to call your landlord in writing, not by text.
Forum culture since the 1990s, now universal on Reddit, where "OP delivers" praises a poster who follows up as promised. The term can mean the person or the original post. In gaming OP means "overpowered," and in anime fandom an opening theme song, so context decides.
2. Overpowered
Texting & Internet Slang · Gaming Slang Abbreviations
Describes a character, weapon, strategy or item that is too strong compared with others, upsetting game balance. Players expect such things to be weakened ("nerfed") in a later update.
Example: This new sniper is so OP, it one-shots through walls.
Common across all game genres and now used outside gaming for anything unfairly good. In forum and Reddit culture OP means "original poster," and in anime fandom an opening theme song, so context matters. Calling something OP is a common complaint aimed at developers.
3. Outpatient
Medical · Hospital Abbreviations
Patient who receives care without being admitted, such as in clinics, emergency departments, imaging centers or same-day procedures, or the services provided to them.
Example: OP MRI scheduled; f/u in neurology OP clinic in 4 weeks.
Observation patients in hospital beds are technically outpatients for Medicare billing. Outpatient surgery has grown as anesthesia and techniques improve. In other settings OP means original poster on internet forums.
4. Opening (anime theme song)
Texting & Internet Slang · Fandom and Fan Fiction Abbreviations
Opening theme song and title sequence of an anime episode, typically about 90 seconds long. Fans rank OPs and share them online.
Example: This season's OP is such a banger, I never skip it.
Anime OPs are often released as singles by J-pop and J-rock artists and can top Japanese music charts. Paired with ED (ending). In Reddit and forums OP means original poster, and in gaming overpowered, so the anime context matters.
5. Observation post
Military · Military Term Abbreviations
Position from which soldiers watch an area to detect enemy activity and report it, often hidden on high ground and occupied by a small team with optics and radios.
Example: Two scouts manned the OP overlooking the valley all night.
A listening post (LP) relies on sound, especially at night, and the pair is often written LP/OP. In general usage OP means operation, and on internet forums it means original poster.
6. Opus (Op.)
Arts & Entertainment · Music Abbreviations
Number assigned to a musical composition, usually by its publisher or composer, to identify works in order of publication, as in Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Op. 67. Plural opera or opuses.
Example: Program: Chopin, Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2.
Latin for "work". Opus numbers are not always chronological because publishers assigned them at publication. Works without opus numbers are labeled WoO (Werke ohne Opuszahl) in Beethoven's catalog. Some composers, such as Bach and Mozart, are identified by catalogs instead.
7. Order of Preachers
Religion · Religious Title Abbreviations
Dominican friars, nuns and sisters belong to the order founded by St. Dominic and approved in 1216 to preach and teach against heresy. Dominicans have produced influential theologians, including Thomas Aquinas.
Example: The lecture was given by Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP, rector of the Angelicum in Rome.
From Latin Ordo Praedicatorum. Dominicans wear a white habit with a black cloak, which led the English to call them "Blackfriars". The order includes friars, nuns, sisters and lay members. The Angelicum is the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Related abbreviations
More social media abbreviations
- OBO – Or best offer
- OC – Original content
- OOTD – Outfit of the day
- OOTN – Outfit of the night
- OT – Off-topic
- OTD – On this day
- PFP – Profile picture
- PM – Private message
See all 106 social media abbreviations →
More gaming slang abbreviations
- NT – Nice try
- OHKO – One-hit knockout
- OOB – Out of bounds
- OOM – Out of mana
- OTK – One-turn kill
- OTP – One-trick pony
- P1 – Player 1
- P2W – Pay-to-win
See all 145 gaming slang abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.