jack-of-all-trades

[ jak-uhv-awl-treydz, jak- ]

noun

, plural jacks-of-all-trades.

1. a person who is adept at many different kinds of work.

jack of all trades

noun

1. a person who undertakes many different kinds of work

Word History and Origins

Origin of jack-of-all-trades¹

First recorded in 1610–20

Example Sentences

He was a sort of jack-of-all-trades, and a very useful man in a valley where mechanics were few and transportation difficult.

From Project Gutenberg

Judge Penniman was another who warned him heavily that it was time to quit being a Jack-of-all-trades.

From Project Gutenberg

The surest way of making a man incompetent is to make him Jack-of-all-trades, for then he will be master of none.

From Project Gutenberg

A vision of a happy-go-lucky Jack-of-all-trades arose before me.

From Project Gutenberg

His duties—specialized to one operation—we deemed unfairly light in comparison with our jack-of-all-trades routine.

From Project Gutenberg