jilt

1 of 2

verb

ˈjilt 

jilted; jilting; jilts

transitive verb

: to cast off or reject (someone, such as a lover) capriciously or unfeelingly

a jilted lover

jilter noun

jilt

2 of 2

noun

: a person who casts off or rejects someone previously accepted as a lover : one who jilts (see jilt entry 1) a lover

Did you know?

Jilt traces back to the English dialect noun jillet ("a flirtatious girl"), itself from Jill or Gill (used both as a proper name and as a noun meaning "girl") plus the diminutive suffix -et. Jilt itself came into use in the second half of the 17th century as a noun meaning "an unchaste woman" (a sense that is now obsolete) or "a woman who capriciously casts a lover aside," and also as a verb used for the actions of such a woman. These days, the person doing the jilting can be either male or female, and though jilt usually implies the sudden ending of a romantic relationship, it can also be used beyond the context of a romantic relationship with the broader meaning "to sever close relations with."

Synonyms

Verb

• blow off
• break off (with)
• ditch
• dump
• kiss off
• leave

Examples of jilt in a Sentence

Verb

She was crushed when he jilted her.

still trying to get over being jilted by his longtime girlfriend

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

There was a singles withdrawal and an emotional retrospective, before the soap opera of being jilted at the mixed doubles altar by Emma Raducanu. —Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 15 July 2024

The fallout has disappointed Iowa party leaders and activists, with some feeling jilted by the national party. —Hannah Fingerhut, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024

Noun

What felt like a jilt to the losers showed just how much of a hold Amazon exerted on a swath of American cities. —Shayndi Raice, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

alteration of jillet flirtatious girl

First Known Use

Verb

1673, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1674, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

jilt

1 of 2 verb

ˈjilt 

: to cast a lover aside unfeelingly

jilt

2 of 2 noun

: a person who jilts a lover