Factsheet
What does the noun Jack mean?
There are 62 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun Jack, 16 of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
Jack has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
food and cooking (Middle English) clocks and watches (Middle English) hawking and falconry (late 1500s) music (late 1500s) fish (late 1500s) fishing (early 1600s) bowls (early 1600s) birds (mid 1600s) nautical (mid 1600s) mining (late 1600s) coins and banknotes (late 1600s) plants (1860s) horticulture (1860s) electronics (1880s) economics and commerce (1890s)
How is the noun Jack pronounced?
British English
/dʒak/
jack
U.S. English
/dʒæk/
jack
See pronunciation
Where does the noun Jack come from?
Earliest known use
Middle English
The earliest known use of the noun Jack is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).
OED's earliest evidence for Jack is from around 1390, in the writing of William Langland, poet.
From a proper name.
Etymons: proper name Jack.
See etymology
Nearby entries
- j'accuse, n.1899–
- jace, n.1399
- jace, v.1393
- jacent, adj.1611–
- J-acid, n.1914–
- jacinth, n.c1230–
- 1382–1513
- jacinthinous, adj.1495
- jacitara, n.1853–
- jack, n.¹1378–
- Jack, n.²c1390–
- jack, n.³1582–
- jack, n.⁴1633–
- Jack, n.⁵1694–
- jack, n.⁶1732–
- jack, n.⁷1740–
- jack, n.⁸a1795
- jack, n.⁹1867–
- jack, n.¹⁰1871–
- jack, n.¹¹1899–
- Jack, n.¹²1910–
Browse more nearby entries
Etymology
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Meaning & use
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Pronunciation
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Compounds & derived words
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