jar.
An earthenware container, either with two or no handles, for holding oil, water, wine, etc., or used for burial.
Meaning & usage
An earthenware container, either with two or no handles, for holding oil, water, wine, etc., or used for burial.
She refilled the jar with peanuts today evening.
A small, approximately cylindrical container, normally made of clay or glass, for holding fruit, preserves, etc., or for ornamental purposes.
A container and its contents; as much as fills such a container; a jarful.
A pint glass
A glass of beer or cider, served by the pint.
Where this word comes from
Inherited from Middle English jarre (“jar”), from Medieval Latin jarra, or from Middle French jarre (“liquid measure”) (from Old French jare; modern French jarre (“earthenware jar”)), or from Spanish jarra, jarro (“jug, pitcher; mug, stein”), all from Arabic جَرَّة (jarra, “earthen receptacle”). The word is cognate with Italian giara (“jar; crock”), Occitan jarro, Portuguese jarra, jarro (“jug; ewer, pitcher”). The verb is derived from the noun.
To preserve (food) in a jar.
Where this word comes from
Inherited from Middle English jarre (“jar”), from Medieval Latin jarra, or from Middle French jarre (“liquid measure”) (from Old French jare; modern French jarre (“earthenware jar”)), or from Spanish jarra, jarro (“jug, pitcher; mug, stein”), all from Arabic جَرَّة (jarra, “earthen receptacle”). The word is cognate with Italian giara (“jar; crock”), Occitan jarro, Portuguese jarra, jarro (“jug; ewer, pitcher”). The verb is derived from the noun.
A clashing or discordant set of sounds, particularly with a quivering or vibrating quality.
A quivering or vibrating movement or sensation resulting from something being shaken or struck.
A sense of alarm or dismay.
The effect of something contradictory or discordant; a clash.
A disagreement, a dispute, a quarrel; (uncountable) contention, discord; quarrelling.
Where this word comes from
From earlier jar, jur, jarre, jurre, of uncertain origin. Possibly from earlier *char, *chur, *charre, *churre (now spelt chirr, churr (“to make a sound”); compare also nightjar and its variant nightchurr), from Middle English *chirren, *cherren, *churren (“to sound, cry, murmur, complain”), from Old English ċeorian (“to murmur, gripe, complain with just cause”), from Proto-West Germanic *karēn (“to complain”). For the change of ch to j, compare also charm, jarm (“chirping”); achar, ajar (“slightly turned or open”), chaw, jaw, etc. The noun is derived from the verb.
To knock, shake, or strike sharply, especially causing a quivering or vibrating movement.
He hit it with a hammer, hoping he could jar it loose.
To harm or injure by such action.
To shock or surprise.
I think the accident jarred him, as he hasn’t got back in a car since.
To act in disagreement or opposition, to clash, to be at odds with; to interfere; to dispute, to quarrel.
To (cause something to) give forth a rudely tremulous or quivering sound; to (cause something to) sound discordantly or harshly.
The clashing notes jarred on my ears.
To quiver or vibrate due to being shaken or struck.
Of the appearance, form, style, etc., of people and things: to look strangely different; to stand out awkwardly from its surroundings; to be incongruent.
Where this word comes from
From earlier jar, jur, jarre, jurre, of uncertain origin. Possibly from earlier *char, *chur, *charre, *churre (now spelt chirr, churr (“to make a sound”); compare also nightjar and its variant nightchurr), from Middle English *chirren, *cherren, *churren (“to sound, cry, murmur, complain”), from Old English ċeorian (“to murmur, gripe, complain with just cause”), from Proto-West Germanic *karēn (“to complain”). For the change of ch to j, compare also charm, jarm (“chirping”); achar, ajar (“slightly turned or open”), chaw, jaw, etc. The noun is derived from the verb.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.