jerky

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈd͡ʒɝki/ UK /ˈd͡ʒɜːki/ See IPA manual

Freq #15013

Meanings

1

adj
moving or proceeding in sudden, uneven starts rather than smoothly

The old film advanced in a jerky series of starts and stops.
2

noun
lean meat, especially beef, preserved by being cut into strips and dried

She packed beef jerky for the long hike.
3

adj
informal: behaving like an unpleasant or foolish person

His jerky remarks made the new employee feel unwelcome.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · moving or proceeding in... choppy uneven spasmodic staccato

2 noun · lean meat, especially beef,... dried meat

3 adj · informal: behaving like an... obnoxious rude foolish

Opposites

smooth fluid steady

Word family

Forms jerkily

Derived forms herky-jerkyjerkilyjerkinessknee-jerky

Related forms jerk charqui

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

beef jerky
beef preserved as chewy dried strips, often eaten as a snack

Noun + noun

Etymology

The adjective is formed from jerk + -y, referring first to abrupt, uneven movement. The noun for dried meat is unrelated: it was adapted from American Spanish charqui, from Quechua ch'arki ("dried, salted meat").

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# jerky

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈd͡ʒɝki/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈd͡ʒɜːki/
**Frequency rank:** 15013

## Meanings
1. moving or proceeding in sudden, uneven starts rather than smoothly
2. lean meat, especially beef, preserved by being cut into strips and dried
3. informal: behaving like an unpleasant or foolish person

## Examples
- The old film advanced in a jerky series of starts and stops.
- She packed beef jerky for the long hike.
- His jerky remarks made the new employee feel unwelcome.

## Synonyms
- choppy
- uneven
- spasmodic
- staccato

## Antonyms
- smooth
- fluid
- steady

## Derived Forms
- herky-jerky
- jerkily
- jerkiness
- knee-jerky

## Related Forms
- jerk
- charqui

## Etymology
The adjective is formed from jerk + -y, referring first to abrupt, uneven movement. The noun for dried meat is unrelated: it was adapted from American Spanish charqui, from Quechua ch'arki ("dried, salted meat").

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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