'finely-chopped' originates from the combination of 'fine' and 'chop', where 'fine' meant 'small or delicate' and 'chop' meant 'to cut'.

'finely-chopped' changed from the Old English word 'ceopan' meaning 'to cut', and eventually became the modern English word 'chop'.

Initially, it meant 'to cut into small pieces', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.