jet

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈjet 

1

a

: an airplane powered by one or more jet engines

b

: jet engine

2

: a long narrow current of high-speed winds (such as a jet stream)

3

a(1)

: a usually forceful stream of fluid (such as water or gas) discharged from a narrow opening or a nozzle

(2)

: a narrow stream of material (such as plasma) emanating or appearing to emanate from a celestial object (such as a radio galaxy)

b

: a nozzle for a jet of fluid

4

: something issuing as if in a jet

talk poured from her in a brilliant jet

—Time

jetlike

ˈjet-ˌlīk 

adjective

jet

2 of 5

verb (1)

jetted; jetting

intransitive verb

1

: to travel by jet airplane

2

: to move or progress by or as if by jet propulsion

jet

3 of 5

verb (2)

jetted; jetting

intransitive verb

: to spout forth : gush

transitive verb

: to emit in a stream : spout

jet

4 of 5

noun (2)

1

: an intense black

2

: a compact velvet-black coal that takes a good polish and is often used for jewelry

jet

5 of 5

adjective

: of the color jet

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• spout
• spurt
• squirt

Verb (2)

• gush
• pour
• rush
• spew
• spout
• spurt
• squirt
• swoosh

Examples of jet in a Sentence

Noun (1)

bought a new showerhead that emits a superpowerful jet of water

Verb (2)

water jetting out of opened fire hydrants at a dangerously high rate

the volcano has been jetting out fiery lava in life-threatening amounts

the presidential candidates jetted through the state for a week before racing off to the next primary

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Believe it or don’t, while her Super Bowl-winning son has jetted all over the world to see girlfriend Taylor Swift rock stadiums on her Eras Tour, Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna, has yet to see one of the three hour-plus extravaganzas. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2024

There, it was reheated by hot magma and jetted upward through openings that scientists named hydrothermal vents. —Suzanne Oconnell, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2024

Camp Humphreys, South Korea CNN — Rock stars get to see more of the world than most of us, but when members of the quintessential 2000s’ rock band Hoobastank jetted into the US military base of Camp Humphreys in South Korea, they were struck by the familiarity. —Mike Valerio, CNN, 2 Sep. 2024

Several other photos showed the family jetting around the world and posing at multiple events, including what appeared to be a racing competition. —Tanisha Bhat, Peoplemag, 3 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (2)

French jeter, literally, to throw, from Old French, from Latin jactare to throw, frequentative of jacere to throw; akin to Greek hienai to send

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French jaiet, from Latin gagates, from Greek gagatēs, from Gagas, town and river in Asia Minor

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 3a(1)

Verb (1)

1949, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1692, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing jet

• fan-jet
• ink-jet
• ink-jet printer
• jet-black
• jet engine
• jet lag
• jet-propelled
• jet propulsion
• jet set
• jet stream
• jumbo jet
• jump jet
• plasma jet
• pulse-jet engine
• the jet set

Kids Definition

jet

1 of 4 noun

ˈjet 

1

: a compact black coal that takes a good polish and is often used for jewelry

2

: a very dark black

jet

2 of 4 verb

jetted; jetting

: spout entry 1 sense 1, spurt

jet

3 of 4 noun

1

a

: a forceful rush of liquid, gas, or vapor especially through a narrow opening or a nozzle

b

: a nozzle for a jet of fluid (as gas or water)

2

a

: jet engine

b

: jet airplane

jet

4 of 4 verb

jetted; jetting

: to travel by jet airplane

Etymology

Noun

Middle English jet "black mineral," from early French jaiet (same meaning), derived from Greek gagatēs (same meaning), from Gagas, a town and river in Asia Minor

Verb

from early French jeter, literally "to throw," from Latin jactare "to throw"