I’ve been dying to get back to the vocabulary posts.  They are fun.  Today’s letter is J for junior, jitterbug (it used to be a dance; now it’s a phone), jacket and Jell-o.

Oh you dear sweet mound of jiggly goodness.

Jabot –  a frilly ruffle worn on the front of a dress shirt.  Somewhat seventeenth century.

Jackalope – a cross between a jackrabbit and a small deer.  A mythical animal.  OR IS IT??

Jejune (ji-JOON)– dull, insipid, immature, or inexperienced.  Buffy’s attempts at painting were jejune at best; she could not seem to move past stick figures with fangs. 

Jerkin – a close fitting jacket or leather vest, medieval-style.   Ren Faire, pirate and re-enactment attire.

Jib – small triangle-shaped sail that comes off the foremast of a ship.  The expression I like the cut of your jib refers to the way a person looks or their personal style, and has its origin with sailors who recognized the shape of sails from different nationalities.

Jicama (HIK-uh muh) – a sort of pale brown turnip from Mexico, eaten raw or boiled.  Nice and crunchy, something like a water chestnut.

Jo–  mama! J/k!

Jongleur (Fr., ZHON-glur) – itinerant medieval minstrel.    Caught in mid-grope, Fred and Daphne stared aghast at the gibbering jongleur running through the deserted Renaissance fairgrounds. 

Jocularity – joking humor.  Anyone who ever watched M*A*S*H will remember this as one of Father Mulcahy’s words.

Jungle cock –  a male jungle fowl found in India, Southeast Asia and Indonesia.  No, it’s not that;  get your mind out of the gutter right now!

Think he may be stuffed…poor bird.

Click here for a video of a live one (around 1:35).

Judder – a heavy vibration, as in a car whose clutch is going out, or an airplane in trouble.  Batman clenched his teeth as the Batplane juddered, smoke pouring out of the damaged engine.  Beside him, the bound Joker giggled wildly through his gag.   

Jy – I can’t find any words that begin with –jy.  If you know any, please share in the comments.  Or, make one up!

That’s all for today.  See you next time!