jest

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a joke or playful remark; to speak or act in fun

   He spoke in jest, but she took the words to heart.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Jest entered English in the late Middle Ages as gest, from Latin gesta, “actions” or “exploits,” and originally meant a notable deed rather than a joke. It later came to mean a narrative of someone’s deeds, then an idle story, and finally a joke. Gesture has the same root.

From Middle English 'geste' ('a tale of exploits'), from Old French 'geste', from Latin 'gesta' ('deeds, exploits'), neuter plural of 'gestus', past participle of 'gerere' ('to carry on, perform'); the sense narrowed from 'narrative' to 'idle tale' to 'joke'.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary