A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

Issachar --- son of Jacob by Leah (O.T.), name of a biblical tribe of Israel, from Gk. issakhar, from Heb. Yissakhar, probably from yesh sakhar "there is a reward" (cf. Gen. xxx.18).

issue (n.) --- c.1300, from O.Fr. issue "a way out, exit," from fem. pp. of issir "to go out," from L. exire, from ex- "out" + ire "go." Meaning "discharge of blood or other fluid from the body" is from 1526; sense of "offspring" is from 1377. Meaning "outcome of an action" is attested from 1382; legal sense of "point in question at the conclusion of the presentation by both parties in a suit" (1308 in Anglo-Fr.) led to transf. sense of "a point to be decided" (1836). Meaning "action of sending into publication or circulation" is from 1833. The verb meaning "to flow out" (c.1300) is from O.Fr. issu, pp. of issir; sense of "to send out authoritatively" is from 1601; that of "to supply (someone with something)" is from 1925.

-ist --- agent noun suffix, also used to indicate adherence to a certain doctrine or custom, from Fr. -iste, from L. -ista, from Gk. -istes, from agential suffix -tes. Variant -ister (e.g. chorister, barister) is from O.Fr. -istre, on false analogy of ministre. Variant -ista is from Sp. form, popularized in Eng. 1970s by names of Latin-American revolutionary movements.

Istanbul --- Turk. name of Constantinople, a corruption of Gk. phrase eis tan (ten) polin "into the city," which is how the local Gk. population referred to it. Picked up in Turkish 16c., though Turk. folk etymology traces the name to Islam bol "plenty of Islam." Gk. polis "city" has been adopted into Turk. as a place-name suffix as -bolu.

isthmus --- 1555, from Gk. isthmos "narrow neck of land," especially that of Corinth, of unknown origin, perhaps from eimi "to go" + suffix -thmo (cf. ithma "a step, movement").

-istic --- adj. suffix, from L. -isticus (often via Fr. -istique), from Gk. -istikos, which is adj. suffix -ikos added to n. suffix -istes (see -ist).

it --- O.E. hit, neut. nom. & acc. of third pers. sing. pronoun, from P.Gmc. demonstrative base *khi- (cf. O.Fris. hit, Du. het, Goth. hita "it"), which is also the root of he. As gender faded in M.E., it took on the meaning "thing or animal spoken about before." The h- was lost due to being in an unemphasized position, as in modern speech the h- in "give it to him," "ask her," "is only heard in the careful speech of the partially educated" [Weekley]. It "the sex act" is from 1611; meaning "sex appeal (especially in a woman)" first attested 1904 in works of Rudyard Kipling, popularized 1927 as title of a book by Elinor Glyn, and by application of It Girl to silent-film star Clara Bow (1905-1965). In children's games, meaning "the one who must tag the others" is attested from 1842.

Italian --- 1422, "native of Italy," from It. Italiano, from Italia "Italy," from L. Italia, probably from a Gk. alteration of Oscan Viteliu "Italy," but originally only the southwestern point of the peninsula, perhaps originally "land of cattle," related to L. vitulus "calf," or else a tribal name from an Illyrian word of unknown meaning. Italianate (1572) is from It. Italianato "rendered Italian," from Italiano.

italic --- 1612, from L. italicus "Italian;" so called because it was introduced in 1501 by Aldus Manutius, printer of Venice (who also gave his name to Aldine), and first used in an edition of Virgil dedicated to Italy. Earlier (1571) the word was used for the plain, sloping style of handwriting, as opposed to Gothic. Italicize "to print in italics" (for emphasis, etc.) is from 1795.

itch (n.) --- O.E. gicce, from giccan (v.) "to itch," from W.Gmc. *jukkjan (cf. M.Du. jöken, O.H.G. jucchen, Ger. jucken). Sense of "restless desire" is first attested 1532; itching in this sense is from 1340.

item --- 1398, from L. item (adv.) "likewise, just so," used to introduce a new fact or statement, probably from ita "thus," id "it" + adv. ending -tem (cf. idem "the same"). Thus "a statement or maxim" (of the kind formerly introduced by the word item), first recorded 1561. Meaning "detail of information" (especially in a newspaper) is from 1819; item "sexually linked unmarried couple" is 1970, probably from notion of being an item in the gossip columns. Noun sense of "an article of any kind" (1578) developed from earlier adv. sense of "moreover, in addition," which was used before every article in a list (such as an inventory or bill). Itemize coined 1864.

iterate (v.) --- 1533, "to do again, repeat," back-formation from iteration (1477), from L. iterationem (nom. iteratio) "repetition," noun of action from iterare "do again, repeat," from iterum "again."

ithyphallic --- 1614, "poem in ithyphallic meter," from Gk. ithys "straight" + phallos "erect penis" (see phallus). The meter was that of the Bacchic hymns, which were sung in the rites during which such phalluses were carried. Thus, in Victorian times, the word also meant "grossly indecent" (1864).

itinerant --- 1570 (attested in Anglo-L. from 1292), from L.L. itinerantem (nom. itinerans), prp. of itinerare "to travel," from L. iter (gen. itineris) "journey," from ire "go" (see ion). Originally in ref. to circuit courts. Itinerary is from 1432, from L.L. itinerarium "account of a journey," from noun use of neut. of itinerarius "of a journey," from L. itineris.

-itis --- noun suffix denoting diseases characterized by inflammation, Mod.L., from Gk. -itis, fem. of adj. suffix -ites "pertaining to." Fem. because it was used with fem. noun nosos "disease," e.g. Gk. arthritis (nosos) "(disease) of the joints."

its --- see it. Developed late 16c. from it + 's, gen. or possessive ending, to replace his (which is used throughout the K.J.V.) as the neut. possessive pronoun. Originally written it's, and still deliberately spelled thus by some writers until early 1800s.

itself --- 1382, from O.E. hit sylf, from it + self (q.v.). Since 17c. usually regarded as its self (cf. its own self).

itsy-bitsy --- 1938, "charmingly small," from itty (1798, in a letter of Jane Austen), baby-talk form of little.

Ivan --- masc. proper name, from Russian, lit. "John," from Gk. Ioannes "John." As the personification of Russia, or the typical name for a Russian man (originally a Russian soldier), attested from 1870.

I've --- contraction of I have, 1742, first attested in Richardson's "Pamela."

ivory --- 1181, Anglo-Fr. ivorie, from O.N.Fr. ivurie (12c.), from L. eboreus "of ivory," from ebur (gen. eboris) "ivory," probably via Phoenician from an African source (cf. Egyptian ab "elephant," Coptic ebu "ivory"). Replaced O.E. elpendban, lit. "elephant bone." Applied in slang to articles made from it, such as dice (1830) and piano keys (1854). As a color, esp. in ref. to human skin, it is attested from 1590. Ivories as slang for "teeth" dates from 1782. Ivory tower (1911) first used 1837 in Fr. (tour d'ivorie) by critic Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve (1804-1869) with reference to the poet Alfred de Vigny, whom he accused of excessive aloofness.

ivy --- O.E. ifig, from W.Gmc. *ibakhs (cf. M.L.G. iflof, Du. eiloof, O.H.G. ebahewi, Ger. Efeu), of unknown origin; the second element in the O.H.G. word may be "hay." Ivy bush as a sign of a tavern where wine is served is attested from 1436. Ivy League, inspired by the notion of old, ivy-coated walls, dates to 1933. (It consists of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale).

ixnay --- no, no more, pig Latin for nix.

izard --- chamois-like antelope of the Pyrenees, 1791, from Fr. isard, Gascon isart, "perhaps of Iberian origin," or from Basque (cf. izzara "star").

-ize --- suffix forming verbs, M.E. -isen, from O.Fr. -iser, from L.L. -izare, from Gk. -izein. English picked up the Fr. form, but partially reverted to the correct Gk. -z- spelling from late 16c. In Britain, despite the opposition (at least formerly) of OED, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Times of London, and Fowler, -ise remains dominant. Fowler thinks this is to avoid the difficulty of remembering the short list of common words not from Greek (advertise, devise, surprise) which must be spelled with an -s-.

J --- the letter is a late modification of Roman -i-, originally a scribal creation in continental M.L. to distinguish small -i- in cursive writing from the strokes of other letters, especially in the final positions of words. But in Eng., -y- was used for this, and -j- was introduced c.1600-1640 to take up the consonantal sound that had evolved from -i- since L.L. times. This usage first was attested in Sp., where it was in place before 1600. Eng. dictionaries continued to lump together words beginning in -i- and -j- until 19c.

jab --- 1825, "to thrust with a point," Scot. variant of job "to strike, pierce, thrust," from M.E. jobben "to jab, thrust, peck" (c.1490), of unknown origin, perhaps echoic. Noun meaning "a punch with the fist" is from 1889. Sense of "injection with a hypodermic needle" is from 1914.

jabber (v.) --- c.1440, jablen, javeren, jaberen, probably echoic.

Jabberwocky --- 1872, nonsense word (perhaps based on jabber) coined by Lewis Carroll, for the poem of the same name, which he published in "Through the Looking-Glass." The poem is about a fabulous beast called the Jabberwock.

j'accuse --- Fr., lit. "I accuse," phrase made famous by Emile Zola in a public letter attacking the irregularities of the Dreyfus trial (published Jan. 13, 1898).

jacinth --- c.1230, an ancient blue gem (probably sapphire), from O.Fr. iacinte, from L. hyacinthus (see hyacinth). In modern use, a reddish-orange gem.

Jack --- masc. proper name, 1218, probably an Anglicization of O.Fr. Jacques (which was a dim. of L. Jacobus, see Jacob), but in Eng. the name always has been associated with Johan, Jan "John," and some have argued that it is a native formation. Alliterative coupling of Jack and Jill is from 15c. (Ienken and Iulyan). As a generic name addressed to an unknown stranger, it is attested from 1889 in Amer.Eng. Used especially of sailors (1659; Jack-tar is from 1781).

jack (n.) --- 1391, jakke "a mechanical device," from the name Jack. Used by 14c. for "any common fellow" (1362), and thereafter extended to various appliances replacing servants (1572). Used generically of men (jack-of-all-trades, 1618), male animals (1623, see jackass, jackdaw, etc.), and male personifications (1522, e.g. Jack Frost). The jack in a pack of playing cards (1674) is in Ger. Bauer "peasant." Jackhammer is from 1930. Jack shit "nothing at all" is 1970s southern U.S. student slang. The jack of Union Jack is a nautical term for a small flag at the bow of a ship (1633).

jack (v.) --- 1873, jack up, originally "abandon, give up," later (1885) "hoist with a jack;" then "increase prices, etc." (1904, Amer.Eng.), all from the noun. Jack off (v.) "to masturbate" is attested from 1916, probably from jack in the sense of "penis."

Jack o'lantern --- 1663, a local name for a Will-o-the-wisp (L. ignis fatuus), mainly attested in East Anglia but also in southwestern England. The extension to carved pumpkins is 1837, Amer.Eng.

Jack Russell --- type of terrier (not recognized as a distinct breed), 1907, named for the Rev. John Russell (1795-1883) of Devonshire, "the sporting parson."

jackal --- 1603, from Turk. çakal, from Pers. shaghal, from Skt. srgala-s, lit. "the howler." Fig. sense of "skulking henchman" is from the old belief that jackals stirred up game for lions.

jackanapes --- c.1449, "a monkey," also "an impertinent, conceited fellow;" apparently from Jack of Naples, but whether this is some specific personification or folk etymology of jack (n.) + ape is unknown.

jackass --- 1727, from jack (n.) + ass (q.v.). Meaning "stupid person" is attested from 1823.

jackboot --- 1686, type of large, strong cavalry boot of 17c.-18c., later a type worn by Ger. soldiers in the Nazi period. From jack (q.v.), though the exact sense here is unclear + boot. Figurative of military oppression since 1768.

jackdaw --- 1543, the common name of the daw (Corvus monedula), "which frequents church towers, old buildings, etc.; noted for its loquacity and thievish propensities" [OED]. See jack (n.) + daw.

jacket --- 1451, from M.Fr. jaquet, dim. of O.Fr. jaque, a kind of tunic, probably from Jacque, the male proper name, also the generic name of a Fr. peasant (see jacquerie), but possibly associated with jaque (de mailles) "short, tight-fitting coat," originally "coat of mail," from Sp. jaco, from Arabic shakk "breastplate." Iakke "a short, close-fitting upper garment" is attested in Eng. from 1375. Meaning "paper wrapper of a book" is first attested 1894.

jack-in-the-box --- 1570, originally a name for a sharp or cheat, "who deceived tradesmen by substituting empty boxes for others full of money" [Robert Nares, "A Glossary of Words, Phrases, Names, and Allusions," London, 1905]. As a type of toy, it is attested from 1702.

jack-knife --- 1711, perhaps so called because it originally was associated with sailors. As a type of dive, from 1922. The verb is attested from 1776.

jackpot --- big prize, 1944, from obsolete poker sense (1881) of progressive antes that begin when no player has a pair of jacks or better. Earlier, in criminal slang, it meant "trouble," especially "an arrest" (1902).

jackrabbit --- 1863, Amer.Eng., shortening of jackass-rabbit, so called for its long ears.

Jacksonian --- 1824, of or in the character of U.S. politician Andrew Jackson (1767-1845).

Jacob --- masc. proper name, name of O.T. patriarch, son of Isaac and Rebecca and father of the founders of the twelve tribes, from L.L. Jacobus, from Gk. Iakobos, from Heb. Ya'aqobh, lit. "one that takes by the heel" (Gen. xxviii.12), a derivative of 'aqebh "heel."

Jacobean --- 1770, lit. "of James" (king or apostle), especially "of the literary and architectural style of the time of James I" (1844). See James.

Jacobin --- c.1325, of the order of Dominican friars whose order built its first convent near the church of Saint-Jacques in Paris. The Revolutionary extremists took up quarters there 1789. Used generically of radicals and reformers since 1793.

jacquerie --- 1523, from M.Fr., from O.Fr. jaquerie "peasants or villeins collectively," from Jacques, the proper name, which is used as Jack is used in Eng., in the sense of "any common fellow." So, also, "the rising of the northern Fr. peasants against the nobles, 1357-8."

Jacuzzi --- 1966, U.S. proprietary name, from Jacuzzi Bros., Inc., Little Rock, Arkansas.

jade (1) --- gemstone, 1598, from Fr. le jade, error for earlier l'ejade, from Sp. piedra de (la) ijada (1569), "stone of colic, pain in the side" (jade was thought to cure this), from V.L. *iliata, from L. ilia (pl.) "flanks, kidney area."

jade (2) --- worn-out horse, c.1386, possibly from O.N. jalda "mare," from Finno-Ugric (cf. Mordvin al'd'a "mare"). As a term of abuse for a woman, it dates from 1560. Jaded "dulled by continual indulgence" is from 1631.

jag (n.) --- period of unrestrained activity, 1887, Amer.Eng. from sense "load of hay or wood" (1597), of unknown origin, used in U.S. colloquial speech from 1834 to mean "a quantity, a lot."

jäger --- Ger. sharpshooter, 1776, from Ger., lit. "huntsman," from jagen "to hunt," from O.H.G. jagon, related to O.Fris. jagia, Du. jagen "to hunt," O.N. jaga "to drive, to move to and fro" (see yacht). Applied to riflemen and sharpshooters in the Ger. and Austrian armies.

jagged --- 1440, from obs. verb jaggen (1373) "to notch or nick," Scot. and northern English, of unknown origin. Originally of garments with regular "toothed" edges; meaning "with the edge irregularly cut" is from 1577.

jaguar --- big cat of the Americas (Felis onca), 1604, from Port. jaguar, from Tupi jaguara, said to be a name "denoting any larger beast of prey." Also a type of British-made car; in this sense the abbreviation Jag is attested from 1959.

Jah --- 1539, a form of Heb. Yah, short for Yahweh "Jehovah." Used in some Eng. bibles. Cognate with the second element in hallelujah and Elijah.

jai alai --- 1910, from Basque, from jai "celebration" + alai "merry."

jail --- c.1275, gayhol, from O.N.Fr. gaiole and O.Fr. jaole, both meaning "a cage, prison," from M.L. gabiola, from L.L. caveola, dim. of L. cavea "cage." Both forms carried into M.E.; now pronounced "jail" however it is spelled. Norman-derived gaol (preferred in Britain) is "chiefly due to statutory and official tradition" [OED]. The verb "to put in jail" is from 1604. Jailbird is 1603, an allusion to a caged bird. Jail-break "prison escape" is from 1910. Jail bait "girl under the legal age of consent" is attested from 1934.

Jain --- 1805, from Hindi Jaina, from Skt. jinah "saint," lit. "overcomer," from base ji "to conquer," related to jayah "victory." The sect dates from 6c. B.C.E.

jalapeño --- from Mex.Sp. Jalapa, place in Mexico, from Aztec Xalapan, lit. "sand by the water," from xalli "sand" + atl "water" + -pan "place."

jalopy --- battered old automobile, 1924 (early variants include jaloupy, jaloppi, gillopy), of unknown origin; perhaps from Jalapa, Mexico, where many U.S. used cars were sent (see jalapeño).

jalousie --- 1766, from Fr., lit. "jealousy," from notion of looking through blinds without being seen.

jam (n.) --- fruit preserve, 1730s, probably a special use of jam (v.) with a sense of "crush fruit into a preserve."

jam (v.) --- to press tightly, also "to become wedged," 1706, of unknown origin, perhaps a variant of champ (v.). Sense of "to cause interference in radio signals" is from 1914. Jazz noun meaning "short, free improvised passage performed by the whole band" dates from 1929, and yielded jam session (1933); perhaps from jam (n.) in sense of "something sweet, something excellent." Noun sense of "machine blockage" is from 1890, which probably led to the colloquial meaning "predicament," first recorded 1914.

Jamaica --- West Indian island, from Taino (Arawakan). The Jamaica in New York probably is a Delaware (Algonquian) word meaning "beaver pond" alt. by infl. of the island name.

jamb --- 1334, from O.Fr. jambe "pier, side post of a door," originally "a leg, shank," from L.L. gamba "leg, (horse's) hock" (see gambol).

jambalaya --- 1872, from Louisiana Fr., from Prov. jambalaia "stew of rice and fowl."

jamboree --- 1868, Amer.Eng., perhaps from jam (n.) on pattern of shivaree. For the second element, Weekley suggestsFr. bourree, a kind of rustic dance. Klein thinks the whole thing is of Hindu origin. Name given to 1920 International Rally of Boy Scouts, and used subsequently by them.

James --- masc. proper name, name of two of Christ's disciples, late 12c. M.E. vernacular form of L.L. Jacomus (cf. O.Fr. James, Sp. Jaime, It. Giacomo), altered from L. Jacobus (see Jacob). The Welsh form was Iago, the Cornish Jago.

Jamesian --- of or in the mode of James, 1875 in ref. to William James (1842-1910) U.S. philosopher and exponent of pragmatism; 1905 in ref. to his brother Henry James (1843-1916), U.S. expatriate novelist.

jams --- 1966, abstracted from pajamas (q.v.).

Jane --- fem. proper name, from Fr. Jeanne, O.Fr. Jehane, from M.L. Johanna (see John). As a generic name for "girl, girlfriend" it is attested from 1906 in U.S. slang.

jangle --- c.1300, "to talk excessively," from O.Fr. jangler "to chatter" (12c.), perhaps from Frank. *jangelon "to jeer" (cf. M.Du. jangelen "to whine"). Meaning of "make harsh noise" is first recorded 1494.

janitor --- 1584, "an usher in a school, doorkeeper," from L. janua "door," from janus "arched passageway" (see Janus) + agent suffix -tor. Meaning "caretaker of a building" first recorded 1708.

janizary --- elite Turkish infantry, 1529, from Fr. janissaire, from It. giannizzero, from Turk. yenicheri, lit. "new troops," from yeni "new" + cheri "soldiery." Formed 1362 from slaves and prisoners of war, ranks filled over the years from tributary children of Christians, abolished 1826.

Jansenism --- 1656, in ref. to doctrine of Cornelius Jansen (1585-1638), Catholic bishop of Ypres, who maintained the perverseness and inability for good of the natural human will.

January --- c. 1290, Ieneuer, from O.N.Fr. Genever (Fr. Janvier), attested from c.1120 in Anglo-Fr., from L. Januarius (mensis) "(the month) of Janus," to whom the month was sacred as the beginning of the year (see Janus; cf. It. Gennajo, Prov. Genovier, Port. Janeiro). The form was gradually Latinized by c.1400. Replaced O.E. geola se æfterra "Later Yule."

Janus --- ancient It. deity, guardian god of portals, patron of beginnings and endings, 1508, from L., lit. "gate, arched passageway," perhaps from PIE base *ei- "to go" (cf. Skt. yanah "path," O.C.S. jado "to travel"). He is shown as having two faces, one in front the other in back. His temple in Rome was closed only in times of peace.

JAP --- acronym for Jewish-American Princess, attested from mid-1970s.

Japan --- 1577, via Port. Japao, Du. Japan, acquired in Malacca from Malay Japang, from Chinese jih pun "sunrise" (equivalent of Japanese Nippon), from jih "sun" + pun "origin." Earliest form in Europe was Marco Polo's Chipangu. Colloquial abbreviation Jap is from 1880, not originally pejorative but became so during World War II. Cultural contact led to japaning "coat with laquer or varnish" (1688), along with japonaiserie (1896, from Fr.), japonica (1819, from variant Japon), etc. Japanese beetle attested from 1919, accidentally introduced in U.S. 1916 in larval stage in a shipment of Japanese iris. Japlish "Japanese with many Eng. words" is from 1960.

jape --- c.1300, "to trick, beguile," perhaps from O.Fr. japer "to howl," of echoic origin, or from O.Fr. gaber "to mock, deride." Phonetics suits the former, but sense the latter explanation. Took on a slang sense c.1450 of "have sex with," and disappeared from polite usage. Revived in harmless M.E. sense of "say or do something in jest" by Scott, etc.

jar (n.) --- cylindrical vessel, 1421, possibly from M.Fr. jarre "liquid measure" (smaller than a barrel), from Prov. jarra, from Arabic jarrah "earthen water vessel" (whence also Sp. jarra, It. giarra).

jar (v.) --- to make a harsh, grating sound, 1526, usually said to be echoic or imitative, but no one explains how, or of what. Fig. sense of "have an unpleasant effect on" is from 1538.

jargon --- 1340, "unintelligible talk, gibberish," from O.Fr. jargon "a chattering" (of birds), ultimately of echoic origin (cf. L. garrire "to chatter," Eng. gargle). Often applied to something the speaker does not understand, hence meaning "mode of speech full of unfamiliar terms" (1651).

jasmine --- 1578, from Fr. jasmin, from M.Fr. jessemin, from Arabic yas(a)min, from Pers. yasmin (cf. Gk. iasme, iasmelaion, name of a Pers. perfume). The plant first was grown in Eng. 16c.

Jason --- masc. proper name, from Gk. Eason, from Heb. Yehoshua, a common name among Hellenistic Jews (see Joshua). In Gk. mythology, son of Aeson, leader of the Argonauts, from L. Jason, from Gk. Iason, perhaps related to iasthai "to heal." The names were somewhat merged in Christian Gk.

jasper --- c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. jaspre, from O.Fr. jaspe, from L. iaspidem (nom. iaspis), from Gk. iaspis "jasper," via an Oriental language (cf. Heb. yashpeh, Akkad. yashupu), ult. from Pers. yashp.

Jasper --- masc. proper name, Eng. form of Caspar (q.v.) or of Gaspar, the traditional name of one of the Three Kings. Used from 1896 for "a rustic simpleton."

jaundice --- c.1303, from O.Fr. jaunisse "yellowness" (12c.), from jaune "yellow," from L. galbinus "greenish yellow," probably from PIE *ghel- "yellow, green" (see Chloe). With intrusive -d- (cf. gender, astound, thunder). Meaning "feeling in which views are colored or distorted" first recorded 1629, from yellow's association with bitterness and envy (see yellow).

jaunt --- 1678 in modern sense, earlier meaning "tiresome journey" (1592), originally "to ride a horse in such a way as to tire him" (1572), of unknown origin, probably from some obscure O.Fr. word.