jelly

American  

[jel-ee] / ˈdʒɛl i /

noun

PLURAL

jellies

1. a food preparation of a soft, elastic consistency due to the presence of gelatin, pectin, etc., especially fruit juice boiled down with sugar and used as a sweet spread for bread and toast, as a filling for cakes or doughnuts, etc.

2. any substance having the consistency of jelly.

3. Chiefly British.  a fruit-flavored gelatin dessert.

4. a plastic sandal or shoe.

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verb (used with or without object)

jellied, jellying

1. to bring or come to the consistency of jelly.

adjective

1. containing or made, spread, or topped with jelly or syrup; jellied.

   jelly apples.

jelly ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒɛlɪ /

noun

1. US and Canadian trademark: Jell-o.  a fruit-flavoured clear dessert set with gelatine

2. a preserve made from the juice of fruit boiled with sugar and used as jam

3. a savoury food preparation set with gelatine or with a strong gelatinous stock and having a soft elastic consistency

   calf's-foot jelly

4. anything having the consistency of jelly

5. informal  a coloured gelatine filter that can be fitted in front of a stage or studio light

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verb

1. to jellify

jelly ² British  

/ ˈdʒɛlɪ /

noun

1. a slang name for gelignite

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Other Word Forms

• jelly-like adjective
• jellylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of jelly

1350–1400; Middle English gely < Old French gelee frozen jelly < Medieval Latin gelāta frozen, equivalent to Latin gel- freeze + -āta -ate ¹; gel, cold

Example Sentences

The red color can camouflage this deep-water jelly, but only in its specific environment and range.

From The Wall Street Journal

Inside the college’s Basic Needs Resource Center on Wednesday afternoon, Crawford filled a black basket with peanut butter, jelly, oatmeal, a can of pozole and hygiene products.

From Los Angeles Times

Jelly beans are great, but sour jelly beans are even better.

From Salon

Trader Joe’s over the summer began stocking its stores with a new line of frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwich snacks, the crusts trimmed off and the edges pressed together.

From The Wall Street Journal

The food company J. M. Smucker accused Trader Joe’s of ripping off its trademark peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a lawsuit filed this week.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• gelatin