English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

"J" Word Origins

Where do words come from? Trace the origin and history of any English word, from its Latin, Greek or Old English roots through to its modern meaning. Every etymology is sourced.

“J” Word Origins

juve

Origin

A shortened, informal form of juvenile.

juvenile

Latin

From Latin iuvenilis, "youthful," from iuvenis, "young person" — the same root behind junior.

juvenility

Origin

Borrowed from Latin iuvenilitas. By surface analysis, juvenile + -ity.

juvie

Origin

A casual shortening of juvenile, with the informal -ie ending added.

juxtapose

Latin

A back-formation from juxtaposition, combining Latin juxta 'next to' with French poser 'to place'.

juxtaposition

Latin

From Latin juxta, "beside", combined with position; the term entered English via French juxtaposition.

Jyoti

Sanskrit

Borrowed from Sanskrit ज्योति (jyoti).