noun
Jerry
JEH-ree
noun
1
A casual nickname for Gerald, Gerard, Jeremy, or similar names.
"His full name is Gerald, but everyone calls him Jerry."
2
Old-fashioned slang for a German person, especially a soldier in World War I or II.
"Wartime letters home often mentioned encounters with "the Jerries.""
adjective
1
Built cheaply and carelessly; jerry-built.
"The shed was a jerry job that leaked the first time it rained."
How to Use Jerry
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA common nickname, or dated slang for a German soldier.
Easily confused with
jerry-built
Word Forms
Jerrys plural, Jerries plural, jerries plural, Jerries plural, jerries plural
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Etymology
A diminutive of "Gerald" and related names, later applied as slang for Germans, possibly from the resemblance of German helmets to chamber pots.