jitney

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
16
Words With Friends
18
Letters
6
Pronunciation
/ˈd͡ʒɪtni
See all 2 pronunciations
/ˈd͡ʒɪtni · ˈʒiː-/

Definition of jitney

7 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. (US, archaic)Synonym of nickel, a 5-cent coin or amount.
See all 7 definitions

noun

  1. (US, archaic)Synonym of nickel, a 5-cent coin or amount.
  2. Synonym of minibus, especially one with a scheduled fixed route.
  3. Synonym of gypsy cab, an unlicensed taxi.
  4. Synonym of shared taxi, a taxi usually shared with strangers to maximize profitability per trip.
    “[…] I said good-by and took the bags downstairs and hailed a Frisco taxi-jitney, which was an ordinary taxi that ran a regular route and you could hail it from any corner and ride to any corner you want for about fifteen cents, cramped in with other passengers like on a bus, but talking and telling jokes like in a private car.”
  5. (Canada)An informal lawn bowling, curling, or darts competition in which all players present are randomly drawn into teams.
  6. A fraudulent arrangement whereby a broker who has direct access to an exchange executes trades on behalf of a broker who does not.

adj

  1. (US, archaic, not-comparable)Synonym of cheap, very inexpensive.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

1886, originally for a five-cent US coin (a nickel); use for taxis and buses due to these services originally charging five cents as fare, popularized circa 1915. The etymology is…

See full etymology

1886, originally for a five-cent US coin (a nickel); use for taxis and buses due to these services originally charging five cents as fare, popularized circa 1915. The etymology is uncertain; it is believed to originate from Louisiana Creole jetnée, from French jeton (“token, coin-sized metal disc”), though this is disputed. Evidence for the Louisiana Creole French origin includes the geographic distribution (Southeastern US, especially Black/African-American), and early spelling as gitney, which is common French spelling for the /ʒi/ pronunciation.

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

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