jet

¹ American  

[jet] / dʒɛt /

noun

1. a stream of a liquid, gas, or small solid particles forcefully shooting forth from a nozzle, orifice, etc.

2. something that issues in such a stream, as water or gas.

3. a spout or nozzle for emitting liquid or gas.

   a gas jet.

4. jet plane.

5. jet engine.

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verb (used without object)

jetted, jetting

1. to travel by jet plane.

   to jet to Las Vegas for the weekend.

2. to move or travel by means of jet propulsion.

   The octopus jetted away from danger.

3. to be shot forth in a stream.

4. to move or travel rapidly.

   The star halfback jetted toward the goal line.

verb (used with object)

jetted, jetting

1. to transport by jet plane.

   The nonstop service from New York will jet you to Tokyo in 13 hours.

2. to shoot (something) forth in a stream; spout.

3. to place (a pile or the like) by eroding the ground beneath it with a jet of water or of water and compressed air.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or associated with a jet, jet engine, or jet plane.

   jet pilot; jet exhaust.

2. in the form of or producing a jet or jet propulsion.

   jet nozzle.

3. by means of a jet plane.

   a jet trip; jet transportation.

jet ² American  

[jet] / dʒɛt /

noun

1. a compact black coal, susceptible of a high polish, used for making beads, jewelry, buttons, etc.

2. a deep black.

3. Obsolete. black marble.

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adjective

1. consisting or made of jet.

2. of the color jet; black as jet.

jet ¹ British  

/ dʒɛt /

noun

1. a thin stream of liquid or gas forced out of a small aperture or nozzle

2. an outlet or nozzle for emitting such a stream

3. a jet-propelled aircraft

4. astronomy a long thin feature extending from an active galaxy and usually observed at radio wavelengths

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verb

1. to issue or cause to issue in a jet

   water jetted from the hose

   he jetted them with water

2. to transport or be transported by jet aircraft

jet ² British  

/ dʒɛt /

noun

1. 1. a hard black variety of coal that takes a brilliant polish and is used for jewellery, ornaments, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      jet earrings

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JET ³ British  

/ dʒɛt /

acronym

1. Joint European Torus; a tokamak plasma-containment device at Culham, Oxfordshire, for research into energy production by nuclear fusion

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jet Scientific  

/ jĕt /

1. A rapid stream of liquid or gas forced through a small opening or nozzle under pressure.

2. An aircraft or other vehicle propelled by one or more jet engines.

3. A jet engine.

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Etymology

Origin of jet¹

First recorded in 1660–70; 1940–45 jet ¹ for def. 4; from Middle French jeter “to throw,” from unrecorded Vulgar Latin jectāre, from Latin jactus, past participle of jacere “to throw”

Origin of jet²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English jet(e), get(e), from Old French jaiet, gaiet, from Latin gagātēs, from Greek (líthos) gagā́tēs “Gagatic (stone),” named after Gágai, town in Lycia

Example Sentences

Soaring jet fuel prices have had investors fearing the worst when it comes to the impact on airlines’ earnings.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

U.S. forces launched a rescue mission in southwestern Iran after at least one American crew member ejected from a fighter jet downed by Iranian defenses, according to a U.S. official and news outlets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Rising prices for jet fuel are expected to cost carriers hundreds of millions of dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

A search-and-rescue operation was underway for the crew of a U.S. jet fighter that went down over Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

At first I don’t see anything but then a Guardian aircraft becomes visible above me, gold and V-shaped and as big as a jet.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Related Words

• airplane
• plane