Curio
Today

jig

JIG · noun

Origin

The origin of "jig" is unknown. One proposed source is Middle English "gyge" ("fiddle"), from Old French "gigue," but the link and how the meaning shifted are unclear.

This is Curio: one word's origin story, every morning. No feed, no backlog.

One short email each morning. Free; stop anytime. See a sample →

Journey

Modern French "gigue," meaning a type of dance, was actually borrowed back from English "jig" rather than the other way around.

Related words

The word may connect, in an uncertain way, to the racial slur "jigaboo," which some say derives from "jig" in the sense of "dance," though its own origin is also uncertain.

More words

From Old French

Nearby, A–Z

All words A–Z →