Jargon
The specialized vocabulary used by a particular profession, group, or field; terms that are often difficult for outsiders to understand.
nounJargon
The specialized vocabulary used by a particular profession, group, or field; terms that are often difficult for outsiders to understand.
nounImagine This
One particular group of tribesmen who live out in the desert speak into jars and listen to the echoes from the jars to communicate. After a windy storm, they could not speak for a long time because all their jars were gone.
Sounds Like
JAR-gən
Looks Like
Jar_gone
Remember This
Jargon refers to specialized language used by a specific group; to be understood by a general audience, avoid jargon and explain terms.
Other Forms
Connect With
terminology, parlance, lingo, argot, technical language
Note
Usually uncountable; say 'the jargon of medicine' rather than 'a jargon'. If you need a plural, 'jargons' is uncommon but grammatically possible in some contexts.
Study Deeper
- The doctor's explanation was full of jargon that confused the patient.
- To communicate with a general audience, avoid jargon and use plain language.
From Old French jargon meaning 'speech, talk', possibly related to Latin garrire 'to chatter'; the exact origin is uncertain.
Jar gone: remember jargon as the 'jar gone' language of a group; the words of that group stay behind when the rest is gone.
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Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).