English Explanatory Dictionary

jumbo

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Especially large or powerful.
noun
  1. An especially large or powerful person, animal, or thing.
  2. An elephant.
  3. A platform-mounted machine for drilling rock.
  4. A large airplane, such as those used for intercontinental travel.
  5. Synonym of bologna (“type of meat”).
  6. A wide roll of machine-trimmed paper, ready to be cut into smaller widths.
noun
  1. Ellipsis of mumbo jumbo (“a deity or other supernatural being worshipped by certain West African peoples; an idol representing such a being”).
noun
  1. Acronym of Jupiter-mass binary object
name
  1. A nickname for one or that of a large size
  2. A nickname for one or that of a small size
  3. A traditional animal name for an elephant
noun
  1. Alternative form of JuMBO

Pronunciation

/ˈd͡ʒʌmbəʊ/ En-uk-jumbo.ogg /ˈd͡ʒʌmboʊ/ En-us-jumbo.ogg en-au-jumbo.ogg

Word forms

jumbo jumbos

Etymology

From Jumbo (1860–1885), the name given to a large African elephant from East Africa that was purchased in 1882 by American showman P. T. Barnum (1810–1891) for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Compare Swahili jambo (“matter, thing”) and jumbe (“chief, headman”).

Synonyms

drilling jumbo bologna Jupiter-mass binary object

Related words

Jumbomania

Derived words

dumbo jumbo daikon jumbo flying squid jumbo frame jumboisation jumboization jumboise jumboize jumboism jumbo jet jumbo mortgage jumbo slice jumbo squid jumbotron jumbrella superjumbo
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