English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

JA

adv

Yes (used in imitation of German or Scandinavian speech, or as a dialect word in some English varieties).

jab

noun

A quick, sharp poke or short straight punch.

Jabbar

name

A surname of Arabic origin, meaning "mighty" or "powerful."

jabber

verb

To talk quickly and unclearly, often about nothing important.

jabbering

noun

Fast, unclear talk; the act of chattering nonsensically.

Jabberwocky

name

The title of a famous nonsense poem in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass", built almost entirely from invented words.

jabbing

noun

A quick poking or punching motion; the act of jabbing.

Jabez

name

A male given name of Hebrew origin, mentioned briefly in the Bible.

Jabs

name

A German surname.

Jace

name

A male given name, a modern diminutive of Jason.

Jacinta

name

A female given name of Spanish origin, a variant of Jacinda.

jack

noun

A mechanical device used to lift something heavy off the ground, especially to raise a car to change a tyre.

jackal

noun

A wild, dog-like animal related to wolves, native to Africa and parts of Asia, typically smaller than a wolf.

jackass

noun

A male donkey.

jacked

adjective

Slang: high on drugs, alcohol, or stimulants.

jacket

noun

A garment for the upper body, worn over a shirt, usually reaching the waist or thigh.

jackhammer

noun

A heavy power tool that pounds a chisel-like bit to break up rock, concrete, or asphalt.

Jackie

noun

A familiar nickname for someone named Jack, Jacques, or John, or (for women) for Jacqueline.

jacking

noun

Slang for a robbery carried out in the street, especially by force or threat.

jackman

noun

A member of a motor racing pit crew whose job is to lift the car with a jack during a pit stop.

Jacko

noun

A casual nickname for someone named Jack or Jackson.

jackpot

noun

A large cash prize, especially in gambling, that grows until someone wins it.

jackrabbit

noun

Any of several large, long-eared North American hares known for their speed.

jacks

noun

A children's game played by tossing and catching small metal or plastic pieces along with a ball.

Jackson

noun

Informal American slang for a twenty-dollar bill, from the portrait of President Andrew Jackson on it.

Jacksonville

name

The largest city in Florida, United States, seat of Duval County; also the name of many other towns across the US.

Jacky

noun

An informal nickname for Jack, Jacques, or John.

Jaco

name

A surname of Portuguese, Italian, or Czech origin.

Jacob

noun

A male given name of Hebrew origin, historically the name of the biblical patriarch and father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jacobi

name

A German surname derived from the given name Jacob.

Jacobite

noun

A supporter of the exiled Stuart royal family's claim to the English and Scottish thrones in the late 1600s and 1700s.

Jacobs

noun

British slang for testicles.

Jacobsen

name

A surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Jacob."

Jacobson

noun

An English surname meaning "son of Jacob."

Jacoby

name

A surname and male given name derived from Jacob.

Jacqueline

name

A female given name of French origin, the feminine form of Jacques (equivalent to James).

Jacques

name

A male given name and surname of French origin, equivalent to English James or Jacob.

Jacqui

name

A diminutive of the female given name Jacqueline.

Jacquie

name

A diminutive of the female given name Jacqueline.

jacuzzi

noun

A hot tub fitted with underwater jets that massage the body with bubbling water.

Jada

name

A female given name, a variant of Jade popularized in the 2000s.

jade

noun

A hard, typically green semiprecious stone often carved into jewelry and figurines.

jaded

adjective

Tired of or unenthusiastic about something because of too much exposure to it.

Jaden

noun

A modern unisex given name, a variant spelling of Jayden.

jaeger

noun

Any of several predatory seabirds known for chasing other birds to steal their food.

Jafar

name

A male given name of Arabic and Persian origin.

Jaffa

noun

A type of sweet, typically seedless orange named after the port city of Jaffa.

Jaffe

name

A Jewish surname of Hebrew origin, meaning "beautiful."

jag

verb

To cut or tear something unevenly, leaving a rough, sharp edge.

jagged

adjective

Having a rough, sharply uneven edge or surface.

jagger

noun

A wheeled tool with a serrated edge used for crimping or cutting decorative patterns in pastry.

jaggery

noun

An unrefined, dark brown sugar made by boiling down palm or sugarcane sap, common in South and Southeast Asian cooking.

Jaggi

name

A surname of either Swiss German or Punjabi origin.

Jago

name

A Cornish surname and given name, a variant of James derived ultimately from Jacob.

jaguar

noun

A large spotted wild cat native to Central and South America, the biggest cat species in the Americas.

Jah

name

A name for God, especially as used in Rastafarian belief, shortened from the Hebrew name of God.

Jahan

name

A unisex given name of Persian origin, meaning "world."

Jai

name

A male given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "victory," used mainly in India.

jail

noun

A building where people are held in custody, typically for short sentences or while awaiting trial.

jailbird

noun

Someone who has been, or currently is, in jail — usually said of a repeat offender.

jailbreak

noun

An escape from prison.

jailer

noun

A person whose job is to guard prisoners in a jail.

jailhouse

noun

A building used as a jail.

Jain

adj

Relating to Jainism, the ancient Indian religion built around nonviolence toward all living things.

Jaipur

name

The capital city of the Indian state of Rajasthan, famous for its pink-hued old town.

Jakarta

name

The capital and largest city of Indonesia.

jake

adj

Fine, acceptable, or satisfactory — an old-fashioned slang term.

jakes

noun

An old-fashioned word for an outdoor toilet or outhouse.

jakey

noun

Slang, chiefly British and Scottish, for a homeless person who drinks heavily.

Jakob

name

A male given name, a variant spelling of "Jacob" common in German and Scandinavian languages.

Jal

name

A small city in Lea County, New Mexico.

jalopy

noun

An old, run-down car, especially one that still somehow runs.

jam

noun

A sweet spread made by boiling fruit with sugar until it thickens.

Jamaica

name

An island country in the Caribbean Sea, known for reggae music and its distinct culture.

Jamaican

adj

Relating to Jamaica, its people, culture, or language.

Jamal

name

A male given name of Arabic origin, meaning "beauty."

jambalaya

noun

A Louisiana rice dish, typically made with meat, seafood, and vegetables cooked together with spices.

jamboree

noun

A lively, large-scale celebration or gathering.

James

name

A common English male given name, traditionally derived from the Hebrew name that also gives us "Jacob."

Jameson

name

A Scottish and Northern Irish surname meaning "son of James."

Jamestown

name

The name of several towns and places in English-speaking countries, most famously the first permanent English settlement in North America, founded in 1607.

Jamieson

name

A surname meaning "son of Jamie."

Jamil

name

A male given name of Arabic origin, meaning "beautiful" or "handsome."

Jamila

name

A female given name of Arabic origin, meaning "beautiful."

Jamison

name

A Scottish surname, and sometimes a given name, meaning "son of Jamie."

jammed

adj

Stuck fast and unable to move.

Jammer

noun

A device that blocks or disrupts radio, phone, or other signals by broadcasting interference.

jamming

noun

The act of blocking or getting something stuck.

jammy

adj

Covered in or tasting of jam.

Jan

name

A given name, used for both men and women in different languages — a male name equivalent to "John" in Dutch, German, and Slavic languages, and a shortened female name elsewhere.

Jana

name

A female given name, common in Czech and other Central European languages.

Janaki

name

A female given name from Sanskrit, also used as another name for the goddess Sita in the Hindu epic the Ramayana.

Jane

name

A common female given name, the standard feminine form of "John" in English since the 1600s.

Janelle

name

A female given name, formed as an elaboration of "Jane."

Janet

name

A female given name, a diminutive of Jane, historically common in Scotland.

Janette

name

A female given name, a variant of Janet.

Janeway

name

A surname, notably borne by the fictional Star Trek captain Kathryn Janeway.

Janey

name

A diminutive of the female given name Jane, also a surname.

Jang

noun

A group of fermented seasoning pastes, such as soy sauce or soybean paste, used as the flavor base in Korean cooking.

jangle

verb

To make, or cause something to make, a harsh rattling or clanging sound.

jangling

noun

The rattling, clanging sound made by things like keys, chains, or coins knocking together.

Janice

name

A female given name, a variant of Jane influenced by names like Alice and Bernice.

Janie

name

A diminutive of the female given name Jane.

Janine

name

A female given name of French origin, related to Jeanne and Jane.

Janis

name

A female given name, a variant of Janice, notably borne by singer Janis Joplin.

janitor

noun

A person employed to clean and maintain a building, such as a school or office.

janitorial

adj

Relating to the cleaning and maintenance work of a janitor.

Janko

name

A male given name found in Slavic languages.

Jansen

name

A Dutch surname meaning "son of Jan," also the name of small towns in the United States and Canada.

Janssen

name

A surname of Dutch or German origin, a variant of Jansen.

January

noun

The first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, coming after December and before February.

Janus

name

The Roman god of doorways, gateways, and transitions, depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions; also a moon of Saturn.

Jap

noun

A Japanese person.

Japan

name

An island nation in East Asia, whose capital is Tokyo.

Japanese

adj

Relating to Japan, its people, language, or culture.

jar

noun

A small container, usually made of glass or clay, used for storing food or other items.

Jardine

name

A surname of French or Scottish origin.

Jared

name

A male given name of Hebrew biblical origin, rare in English until the 1960s.

jargon

noun

Specialized vocabulary used by people in a particular profession or field, often hard for outsiders to follow.

jarl

noun

A nobleman or chieftain in medieval Scandinavia, ranking below a king.

Jarrett

name

A surname and male given name, a variant of Garrett.

jarring

adj

Causing an unpleasant shock or a sense of unsettling discord.

Jarrod

name

A male given name, a variant of Jared.

Jarvis

name

A surname derived from the medieval name Gervase, also used as a male given name.

Jas

name

A diminutive of the given names James, Jasper, or Jasmine.

Jase

name

A masculine given name, an informal short form of Jason.

Jasmin

name

A feminine given name derived from the jasmine flower, ultimately from Persian.

jasmine

noun

A climbing shrub with fragrant white or yellow flowers, or the perfume made from them.

Jason

name

A masculine given name of Greek origin, meaning "healer," also the name of the mythological leader of the Argonauts.

jasper

noun

An opaque, often red or yellow variety of quartz used as a decorative or semi-precious stone.

jaundice

noun

A medical condition causing yellowing of the skin and eyes, usually due to liver problems.

jaunt

noun

A short trip taken for pleasure.

jaunty

adj

Lively, confident, and stylish in manner or appearance.

Java

name

A large island in Indonesia, home to the capital, Jakarta.

Javed

name

A masculine given name of Persian and Urdu origin, meaning "eternal" or "immortal."

javelin

noun

A light spear designed to be thrown by hand, used historically as a weapon.

Javert

noun

Someone who hunts down a person they believe has done wrong, with rigid, relentless determination.

Javier

name

A masculine given name, the Spanish form of Xavier, of Basque origin.

jaw

noun

Either of the two bones that frame the mouth and hold the teeth.

jawbone

noun

The bone forming the lower jaw; the mandible.

jaws

noun

The mouth, especially when described as threatening or wide open.

Jax

name

A unisex given name, often used as a short form of Jackson or Jaxon.

jay

noun

Any of several brightly coloured, noisy birds related to crows, known for their crests.

Jaya

name

A unisex given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "victory."

Jayden

name

A masculine given name, a modern coinage popularized in the late twentieth century, often said to mean "thankful."

Jaye

name

A unisex given name, a variant spelling of Jay.

Jayne

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Jane.

jaywalking

noun

Crossing a street illegally or carelessly, away from a crosswalk or against traffic signals.

jaz

noun

An old-fashioned spelling of "jazz."

jazz

noun

A musical style rooted in African American tradition, marked by improvisation, syncopation, and swing rhythms.