jerky

1 of 2

adjective

ˈjər-kē 

jerkier; jerkiest

1

a

: moving along with or marked by fits and starts

b

: characterized by abrupt transitions

2

: inane, foolish

jerkily

ˈjər-kə-lē 

adverb

jerkiness

ˈjər-kē-nəs 

noun

jerky

2 of 2

noun

jer·​ky ˈjər-kē 

: jerked meat

Synonyms

Adjective

• bumpy
• choppy
• herky-jerky
• jouncy
• rough

Examples of jerky in a Sentence

Adjective

The movie was jerky and hard to watch.

made jerky progress walking with the new crutches

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Jen Psaki accepted a piece of jerky, and, upon putting it in her mouth, looked nauseous, but was still too nice to protest. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024

Grab a kombucha and jerky on the way out from the doctors lounge and head home. —R29 Team, refinery29.com, 16 Oct. 2024

Noun

And People’s Choice beef jerky — made in downtown L.A. by a family that’s been in the business for almost 100 years — is a clean option in a variety of flavors (try the Carne Seca or Hot Honey). —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024

The latest Buc-ee’s outpost will reportedly feature 120 fuel pumps and, naturally, more than 20 types of jerky from which to choose (Hill Country Peppered Beef, naturally). —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

jerk entry 2 + -y entry 1

Noun

borrowed from American Spanish charqui (borrowed from southern Peruvian Quechua ch'arki), conformed to jerk entry 4 and earlier jerked

First Known Use

Adjective

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing jerky

• herky-jerky

Kids Definition

jerky

1 of 2 noun

jer·​ky

ˈjər-kē

: jerked meat

jerky

2 of 2 adjective

ˈjər-kē

jerkier; jerkiest

1

: marked by jerks

a jerky ride on a dirt road

2

: stupid, foolish

jerkily

-kə-lē

adverb

jerkiness

-kē-nəs

noun

Etymology

Noun

from Spanish charqui "jerky," from Quechua ch'arki

Adjective

jerk (noun) and -y (adjective suffix)