DJ

1 of 3

noun

ˈdē-ˌjā 

plural DJs

: disc jockey

When they [the Beatles] arrived in the U.S. in 1964, John Lennon spent his first night in New York in his hotel room, calling up radio DJs and asking them to play the Ronettes.

—Rob Sheffield

A hip-hop DJ's roles can be multi-faceted: finding the music for dancing, playing the popular tracks, being the rapper's background band, having, maintaining, and providing the equipment, producing the beats, and not least improvising instrumental solos.

—Kjetil Falkenberg Hansen

—sometimes used as a title in the stage names of disc jockeys

Jeffrey Allen Townes, better known as DJ Jazzy Jeff, is a producer, deejay and actor …

—Greg Bishop

DJ

2 of 3

verb

DJed also DJ'd; DJing; DJs

transitive + intransitive

: to perform the role of a disc jockey : to act as a DJ for

Snoop Dogg has revealed that he turned down [an] offer to DJ a party for Michael Jordan.

—Will Lavin

The distinctiveness of DJing in hip hop started with the development of adroit techniques on two turntables.

—Patrick Rivers

There was a festive vibe as [Herman] Matfes DJ'd the event with fun Hanukkah and holiday music.

—Lani Mustacchi

… Paris Hilton DJed a New Year's Eve party on her own virtual island this year.

—Brad Thomas

DJ

3 of 3

abbreviation

1

district judge

2

doctor of jurisprudence

3

dust jacket

Examples of DJ in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That dominant run defense was a surprise considering defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (elbow), defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck/shoulder), defensive tackle DJ Davidson (shoulder) and linebacker Bobby Okereke (back) missed the game with injuries. —Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024

But Berg’s true-to-history herringbone blazer and black mock-neck shirt also depicts the vast polarization between the ideals, values, and motivations of Berg and The Order, which brutally murdered the DJ in 1984. —Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024

Inside a sleek studio nestled in North Miami, adorned with vibrant tropical accents, local legends Trina and DJ Alex Sensation joined forces with Billboard editors Jessica Roiz and Heran Mamo to celebrate the Magic City’s rich musical heritage. —Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 6 Dec. 2024

Making this selection even more iffy is the health of wide receiver DJ Moore and running back D’Andre Swift, among others. —Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1946, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1948, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

DJ

noun

ˈdē-ˌjā

often not capitalized

: disc jockey