jape

[ jeyp ]

verb (used without object)

, japed, jap·ing.

1. to jest; joke; gibe.

verb (used with object)

, japed, jap·ing.

1. to mock or make fun of.

noun

1. a joke; jest; quip.
2. a trick or practical joke.

jape

/ dʒeɪp /

noun

1. a jest or joke

verb

1. to joke or jest (about)

Derived Forms

• ˈjapery, noun
• ˈjapingly, adverb
• ˈjaper, noun

Other Words From

• japer noun
• japer·y noun
• japing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of jape¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English japen, perhaps from Old French jap(p)er “to bark,” of imitative origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of jape¹

C14: perhaps from Old French japper to bark, yap, of imitative origin

Example Sentences

All he had to do was pantomime along to a jape about Trump’s obsession with audience counts, positioning his palms in a way that everyone knew he wasn’t referring to inadequacies over rally size comparisons.

From Salon

It’s all an extravagant, occasionally amusing jape, and perfectly suited to Cage’s acting style, which has always been more suited to old-school German expressionism than the subtleties of American naturalism.

From Washington Post

But as the capital merry-go-round spun its peccadilloes, scandals and ballyhooed promises, his jaunty baritone restored order with bipartisan japes and irreverent songs to deflate the preening ego and the Big Idea.

From New York Times

Trump president's rallies were chaotic attempts at stream-of-conscious japes, where threats of violence earned gargantuan applause.

From Salon

Johnson’s appetite for schoolboy japes signaled no dimming of ambition.

From Washington Post