jargon

See also: Jargon

English

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɑː.ɡən/
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɑɹ.ɡən/
Audio (General American): (file)
Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)ɡən
Hyphenation: jar‧gon

Etymology 1

From Middle English jargoun, jargon, from Old French jargon, a variant of gargon, gargun (“chatter; talk; language”).

Noun

jargon (countable and uncountable, plural jargons)

(uncountable) A technical terminology unique to a particular subject.
(countable) A language characteristic of a particular group.
- 1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter I, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume I, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 11:
  They [the Normans] abandoned their native speech, and adopted the French tongue, in which Latin was the predominant element. They speedily raised their new language to a dignity and importance which it had never before possessed. They found it a barbarous jargon; they fixed it in writing; and they employed it in legislation, in poetry, and in romance.
- 2014, Ian Hodder, Archaeological Theory Today:
  In fact all the competing theories have developed their own specialized jargons and have a tendency to be difficult to penetrate.
(uncountable) Speech or language that is incomprehensible or unintelligible; gibberish.

Synonyms

(language characteristic of a group): argot, cant, intalk, lingo
vernacular

Derived terms

Translations

technical terminology unique to a particular subject

Afrikaans: jargon, vaktaal
Armenian: ժարգոն (hy) (žargon)
Belarusian: жарго́н m (žarhón)
Bulgarian: жарго́н (bg) m (žargón)
Catalan: argot (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 行話／行话 (zh) (hánghuà)
Czech: žargon (cs) m
Danish: fagsprog n
Dutch: jargon (nl) n, vaktaal (nl) f, visserslatijn (nl) n
Esperanto: ĵargono
Finnish: jargon (fi), ammattikieli (fi)
French: jargon (fr) m
Friulian: zergon m
Galician: tecnicismo m, xerga f
Georgian: ჟარგონი (ka) (žargoni)
German: Fachjargon (de) m, Fachsprache (de) f
Greek: ιδιογλωσσία f (idioglossía)
Hebrew: עגה (he) f (agá), ז'רגון (he) m (zhargón)
Hungarian: szaknyelv (hu), szakzsargon (hu), szakmai nyelv
Icelandic: fagmál n
Indonesian: jargon (id)
Irish: béarlagair m
Italian: gergo (it) m
Japanese: 専門用語 (ja) (せんもんようご, senmon yōgo), 業界用語 (ぎょうかいようご, gyōkai yōgo), 隠語 (ja) (いんご, ingo), ジャーゴン (ja) (jāgon)
Korean: 전문어 (ko) (jeonmuneo), 전문 용어 (jeonmun yong'eo)
Latvian: žargons (lv) m
Macedonian: жарго́н m (žargón)
Malay: jargon
Maori: kupu-ā-kaupapa, kupu kaupapa
Piedmontese: gergh m
Polish: żargon (pl) m
Portuguese: jargão (pt) m
Romanian: jargon (ro) n
Russian: жарго́н (ru) m (žargón)
Spanish: tecnicismo (es) m, jerga (es) f, jerigonza f, caliche (es) m, argot (es) m
Swahili: istilahi
Swedish: fackspråk (sv) n, jargong (sv) c
Turkish: jargon (tr), argo (tr)
Ukrainian: жарго́н (uk) m (žarhón)
Yiddish: זשאַרגאָן m (zhargon)

language characteristic of a particular group

Afrikaans: groepstaal (af), sosiolek
Armenian: ժարգոն (hy) (žargon)
Bulgarian: жарго́н (bg) m (žargón)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 行語／行语 (zh) (hángyǔ)
Czech: žargon (cs) m
Dutch: jargon (nl) n
Finnish: slangi (fi), jargon (fi), ammattikieli (fi)
French: jargon (fr) m
Galician: xerga f, latín (gl) m
Georgian: ჟარგონი (ka) (žargoni)
German: Jargon (de) m, Fachsprache (de) f
Greek: ιδιογλωσσία f (idioglossía), ιδιόλεκτος (el) f (idiólektos)
Hebrew: עגה (he) f (agá), ניב (he) m (niv), ז'רגון (he) m (zhargón)
Hungarian: zsargon (hu), tolvajnyelv (hu)
Irish: béarlagair m
Japanese: 隠語 (ja) (ingo), スラング (ja) (surangu)
Korean: 은어 (ko) (euneo)
Macedonian: жарго́н m (žargón)
Polish: żargon (pl) m
Portuguese: gíria (pt) f
Russian: жарго́н (ru) m (žargón)
Spanish: jerga (es) f, argot (es) m, germanía (es) f
Swedish: jargong (sv) c
Turkish: jargon (tr), argo (tr)

incomprehensible speech

Afrikaans: brabbeltaal
Czech: žargon (cs) m
Dutch: gebrabbel (nl) n, gewauwel (nl) n, wartaal (nl) f
Finnish: mongerrus (fi), siansaksa (fi)
French: jargon (fr) m, charabia (fr) m
Galician: xerga f
Georgian: აბდაუბდა (ka) (abdaubda), უაზრობა (uazroba)
German: Jargon (de) m, Fachchinesisch (de) n
Greek: ακαταλαβίστικα (el) pl (akatalavístika)
Hungarian: halandzsa (hu), blabla (hu)
Irish: gibiris f, dríodar cainte m
Japanese: たわごと (ja) (tawagoto)
Portuguese: algaravia (pt) f
Russian: тараба́рщина (ru) f (tarabárščina)
Spanish: jerigonza

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Arabic: ^{(please verify)} مُصْطَلَح (ar) m (muṣṭalaḥ) (1), ^{(please verify)} لُغَة غَيْر مَفْهُومَة f (luḡa ḡayr mafhūma) (2)
Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} ĵargono, ^{(please verify)} jargono
Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} bahasa kacau
Italian: ^{(please verify)} gergo (it) m
Mandarin: ^{(please verify)} 行話／行话 (zh) (hánghuà), ^{(please verify)} 行话 (zh) (háng huà) (1, 2), ^{(please verify)} 隱語／隐语 (zh) (yǐnyǔ), ^{(please verify)} 隐语 (zh) (yǐn huà), ^{(please verify)} 黑話／黑话 (zh) (hēihuà) (3), ^{(please verify)} 黑话 (zh) (hēihuà) (3)
Persian: ^{(please verify)} زبان تخصصی (zabân-e taxassosi), ^{(please verify)} زبان مخفی (zabân-e maxfi)
Volapük: ^{(please verify)} jargon (vo)

Verb

jargon (third-person singular simple present jargons, present participle jargoning, simple past and past participle jargoned)

To utter jargon; to emit confused or unintelligible sounds.
- 1837, Thomas Carlyle, “Fatherland in Danger”, in The French Revolution: A History […], volume III (The Guillotine), London: James Fraser, […], →OCLC, book III (The Girondins), page 184:
  Prussian Trenck, the poor subterranean Baron, jargons and jangles in an unmelodious manner.
- 1863 November 23, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Poet’s Tale. The Birds of Killingworth.”, in Tales of a Wayside Inn, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 195:
  [T]he noisy jay, / Jargoning like a foreigner at his food; […]

Etymology 2

Noun

jargon (countable and uncountable, plural jargons)

Alternative form of jargoon (“A variety of zircon”)

Dutch

Etymology

From Old French jargon (“chatter, talk, language”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /jɑrˈɣɔn/
Audio: (file)
Hyphenation: jar‧gon

Noun

jargon n (plural jargons, diminutive jargonnetje n)

jargon, specialised language

Finnish

Etymology

Borrowed from French jargon.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈjɑrɡon/, [ˈjɑ̝rɡo̞n]
Rhymes: -ɑrɡon
Hyphenation^(key): jar‧gon

Noun

jargon

jargon

Declension

Inflection of jargon (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		jargon	jargonit
genitive		jargonin	jargonien
partitive		jargonia	jargoneja
illative		jargoniin	jargoneihin
		singular	plural
nominative		jargon	jargonit
accusative	nom.	jargon	jargonit
accusative	gen.	jargonin	jargonit
genitive		jargonin	jargonien
partitive		jargonia	jargoneja
inessive		jargonissa	jargoneissa
elative		jargonista	jargoneista
illative		jargoniin	jargoneihin
adessive		jargonilla	jargoneilla
ablative		jargonilta	jargoneilta
allative		jargonille	jargoneille
essive		jargonina	jargoneina
translative		jargoniksi	jargoneiksi
abessive		jargonitta	jargoneitta
instructive		—	jargonein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of jargon (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		jargonini	jargonini
accusative	nom.	jargonini	jargonini
accusative	gen.	jargonini	jargonini
genitive		jargonini	jargonieni
partitive		jargoniani	jargonejani
inessive		jargonissani	jargoneissani
elative		jargonistani	jargoneistani
illative		jargoniini	jargoneihini
adessive		jargonillani	jargoneillani
ablative		jargoniltani	jargoneiltani
allative		jargonilleni	jargoneilleni
essive		jargoninani	jargoneinani
translative		jargonikseni	jargoneikseni
abessive		jargonittani	jargoneittani
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	jargoneineni

second-person singular possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		jargonisi	jargonisi
accusative	nom.	jargonisi	jargonisi
accusative	gen.	jargonisi	jargonisi
genitive		jargonisi	jargoniesi
partitive		jargoniasi	jargonejasi
inessive		jargonissasi	jargoneissasi
elative		jargonistasi	jargoneistasi
illative		jargoniisi	jargoneihisi
adessive		jargonillasi	jargoneillasi
ablative		jargoniltasi	jargoneiltasi
allative		jargonillesi	jargoneillesi
essive		jargoninasi	jargoneinasi
translative		jargoniksesi	jargoneiksesi
abessive		jargonittasi	jargoneittasi
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	jargoneinesi

first-person plural possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		jargonimme	jargonimme
accusative	nom.	jargonimme	jargonimme
accusative	gen.	jargonimme	jargonimme
genitive		jargonimme	jargoniemme
partitive		jargoniamme	jargonejamme
inessive		jargonissamme	jargoneissamme
elative		jargonistamme	jargoneistamme
illative		jargoniimme	jargoneihimme
adessive		jargonillamme	jargoneillamme
ablative		jargoniltamme	jargoneiltamme
allative		jargonillemme	jargoneillemme
essive		jargoninamme	jargoneinamme
translative		jargoniksemme	jargoneiksemme
abessive		jargonittamme	jargoneittamme
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	jargoneinemme

second-person plural possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		jargoninne	jargoninne
accusative	nom.	jargoninne	jargoninne
accusative	gen.	jargoninne	jargoninne
genitive		jargoninne	jargonienne
partitive		jargonianne	jargonejanne
inessive		jargonissanne	jargoneissanne
elative		jargonistanne	jargoneistanne
illative		jargoniinne	jargoneihinne
adessive		jargonillanne	jargoneillanne
ablative		jargoniltanne	jargoneiltanne
allative		jargonillenne	jargoneillenne
essive		jargoninanne	jargoneinanne
translative		jargoniksenne	jargoneiksenne
abessive		jargonittanne	jargoneittanne
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	jargoneinenne

third-person possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		jargoninsa	jargoninsa
accusative	nom.	jargoninsa	jargoninsa
accusative	gen.	jargoninsa	jargoninsa
genitive		jargoninsa	jargoniensa
partitive		jargoniaan jargoniansa	jargonejaan jargonejansa
inessive		jargonissaan jargonissansa	jargoneissaan jargoneissansa
elative		jargonistaan jargonistansa	jargoneistaan jargoneistansa
illative		jargoniinsa	jargoneihinsa
adessive		jargonillaan jargonillansa	jargoneillaan jargoneillansa
ablative		jargoniltaan jargoniltansa	jargoneiltaan jargoneiltansa
allative		jargonilleen jargonillensa	jargoneilleen jargoneillensa
essive		jargoninaan jargoninansa	jargoneinaan jargoneinansa
translative		jargonikseen jargoniksensa	jargoneikseen jargoneiksensa
abessive		jargonittaan jargonittansa	jargoneittaan jargoneittansa
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	jargoneineen jargoneinensa

French

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʒaʁ.ɡɔ̃/

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old French jargon, gargun ("cheeping of birds"), from a root *garg expressing the sound of the throat or referring to it. See gargouille, gargariser, gargoter.
The initial /ʒ/ sound comes from a softening of /g/, as in jambe.

Noun

jargon m (plural jargons)

jargon, specialised or unintelligible language

Derived terms

Descendants

→ Czech: žargon
→ Dutch: jargon
→ English: jargon
→ Esperanto: ĵargono
→ German: Jargon
→ Hungarian: zsargon
→ Macedonian: жаргон (žargon)
→ Polish: żargon
→ Portuguese: jargão
→ Romanian: jargon n
→ Russian: жарго́н m (žargón)
→ Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic script: жа̀рго̄н

Latin script: žàrgōn
→ Spanish: jerga
→ Swedish: jargong
→ Turkish: jargon

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Italian giargone. Doublet of zircon.

Noun

jargon m (plural jargons)

jargoon, a zircon type

Descendants

→ Catalan: jargó
→ English: jargoon
→ German: Jargon
→ Greek: γιαρκόν (giarkón)
→ Russian: жарго́н (žargón)
→ Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic script: жаргон

Latin script: žargon, jargon
→ Spanish: jergón

Middle English

Noun

jargon

Alternative form of jargoun.

Old French

Etymology

Probably of imitative origin, similar to Latin garrio (“I chatter”).

Noun

jargon oblique singular, m (oblique plural jargons, nominative singular jargons, nominative plural jargon)

talk; chatter; conversation; talking

Descendants

French: jargon
- → Czech: žargon
- → Dutch: jargon
- → English: jargon
- → Esperanto: ĵargono
- → German: Jargon
- → Hungarian: zsargon
- → Macedonian: жаргон (žargon)
- → Polish: żargon
- → Portuguese: jargão
- → Romanian: jargon n
- → Russian: жарго́н m (žargón)
- → Serbo-Croatian:
  Cyrillic script: жа̀рго̄н
  Latin script: žàrgōn
- → Spanish: jerga
- → Swedish: jargong
- → Turkish: jargon

References

Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “jargon”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French jargon.

Noun

jargon n (plural jargoane)

jargon, slang

Declension

	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
	singular		plural
nominative-accusative	jargon	jargonul	jargoane	jargoanele
genitive-dative	jargon	jargonului	jargoane	jargoanelor
vocative	jargonule		jargoanelor

Turkish

Etymology

Borrowed from French jargon.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʒɑɾˈɡon/, [ʒɑɾ̞ˈɡo̞n̪]

Noun

jargon (definite accusative jargonu, plural jargonlar)

jargon

Synonyms

argo

Volapük

Noun

jargon

gibberish
A jargon, specialised language

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

Etymology 2

Noun

Further reading

Dutch

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Finnish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Further reading

French

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Derived terms

Descendants

Etymology 2

Noun

Descendants

Further reading

Middle English

Noun

Old French

Etymology

Noun

Descendants

References

Romanian

Etymology

Noun

Declension

Turkish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Synonyms

Volapük

Noun