"J" Word Origins

judicatory

Origin

From Latin iūdicātōrius.

judicature

Origin

From Anglo-Norman judicature, Middle French judicature, and their source, post-classical Latin iudicatura (12th century), from the participle stem of classical Latin iūdicāre (“to judge”).

judicial

Latin

Borrowed from Latin iudicialis, related to iudex ("judge").

judiciary

Latin

Borrowed from Latin iudiciarius.

judicious

Latin

Via French judicieux from Latin judicium, meaning judgement.

Judith

Hebrew

From Hebrew Yehudit, "woman from Judea."

judo

Japanese

Borrowed from Japanese judo, literally "the soft way."

Judson

Middle English

From a Middle English short form of the name Jordan, combined with "son."

Judy

Origin

A pet form of the name Judith.

jug

Middle English · 1820

From Middle English jugge, of uncertain origin; the "jail" sense has been recorded in British English since at least the 1820s.

jugate

Origin

Borrowed from Latin iugātus (“yoked together in pairs”), perfect passive participle of iugō (“to yoke”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix).

juger

Origin

Borrowed from Latin iūger, variant of iūgerum.

jugful

Origin

From jug + -ful.

juggernaut

Origin

From Jagannath, a title of the Hindu deity Krishna. The word entered English through witnesses to the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, India, where a massive wagon carrying an idol of Jagannath was pulled through the streets by huge crowds, appearing unstoppable once in motion.

juggins

Origin

Uncertain; perhaps an extended use of Juggins, originally a plebian surname.

juggle

Latin

From Middle English jogelen, blending an earlier word for "juggler" with Old French jongler ("to entertain, jest") and ultimately Latin joculari, "to joke."

jugglery

Origin

From Old French juglerie, jouglerie, from jouglere (“juggler”).

juggling

Middle English

From Middle English jogelyng, formed from juggle plus -ing.

jughead

Origin

From jug (suggesting an empty, hollow container) plus head — implying someone whose head is as empty as a jug.

juglans

Origin

From Latin iūglāns (“walnut, walnut tree”).

jugular

Late Latin

From Late Latin jugularis, from jugulum, meaning the throat or the hollow at the base of the neck — related to the idea of a "yoke" resting across that spot.

juice

Latin

From Old French jus, ultimately from Latin ius meaning "broth" or "sauce" — the same root that gives us the word jus in cooking.

juiced

Origin

From juice + -d.

juicy

Middle English

From Middle English jousy, jowsy, literally "full of juice" — from juice plus the adjective ending -y.

jujitsu

Japanese

Borrowed from Japanese jūjutsu, literally "gentle technique" or "soft skill."

juju

French

Borrowed from a West African language, likely originally from French joujou, meaning "toy."

juke

Origin

From Gullah juke/jook, meaning "wicked" or "disorderly" — the same root as jukebox and juke joint.

jukebox

Origin · 1939

Coined around 1939 from juke (a roadside bar or "juke joint") plus box, replacing older names like "nickel-in-the-slot phonograph."

Jules

Latin

From French, ultimately from the Latin name Julius.

Julia

Origin

From the Roman gens name Julius, of uncertain pre-Roman origin.

Julian

Latin

From the Roman family name "Julius," via the Latin adjective "Iulianus."

Juliana

Middle English

From Middle English Juliana, from Latin Iūliāna.

Julianna

Origin

Modern combination of Julie + Anna, perhaps sometimes intended as a form of Juliana.

Julianne

Origin

A 19th/20th century variant of Juliana. Can also be interpreted as a combination of Julia + Anne.

Julien

French

Borrowed from French Julien.

julienne

French

From French julienne, likely named after an otherwise unknown chef called Jules or Julien who first served vegetables cut this way in a soup.

Juliet

Italian

Borrowed from Italian Giulietta, diminutive of Giulia, from Latin Iūlia, feminine of Iūlius, a Roman family name. Cognate with French Juliette.

julio

Italian

From Italian giulio, named after Pope Julius II, who had the coin struck. A doublet of the name Julius.

Julius

Latin

Borrowed from Latin Iūlius, of uncertain origin, possibly from Ancient Greek ἴουλος (íoulos, “downy first beard hairs”), i.e. the young, or from Latin Jovilius (“devoted to Jove”). Doublet of Jules.

July

Latin

From Latin Iulius, the month named in honour of Julius Caesar.

jumble

Middle English

From Middle English jumbren, likely a variant of jumpren, related to jump — the sense shifted from "bounce around" to "mix up."

jumbo

Origin · 1882

From Jumbo, the name of a famous, enormous African elephant bought by showman P. T. Barnum in 1882 for his circus.

jumbomania

Origin

From Jumbo + -mania.

jump

Middle English

From Middle English jumpen, meaning to walk briskly or leap, probably from a Germanic root meaning "to hop or bounce."

jumper

Middle English

From the term jump (“short coat”) + -er, originally in sailors' jargon, ultimately of uncertain origin. Jump is possibly from Scottish English jupe (“man's loose jacket or tunic”), from Middle English juype, gype, joupe, from Old French jupe, juppe, from Arabic جُبَّة (jubba); see also jibba. Cognate with Middle Low German jōpe, gōpe (“waistcoat, jacket”), German Joppe (“jacket”). Alternatively, perhaps derived from jump.

jumpsuit

Origin

From jump plus suit, originally referring to the one-piece suits worn by parachutists making a jump.

jumpy

Origin

From jump plus the adjective ending -y.

jun

Korean

Borrowed into English from Korean 전 (jeon), the name of the same subunit.