Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JEJUNE
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pronounce
JEJUNE:
Say it "juh JOON."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
To use the word jejune, I think you have to stick your nose pretty far up in the air. It's as snobby as they come, so I'm not even recommending you do use it--just that you know it. It suggests that something is so dull and empty that it seems to be lacking in mental nutriment.
Much like the word in___id, which suggests that something is so dull and empty that it seems to be lacking in taste or flavor.
And much like the word an__ic, which suggests that something is so dull and empty that it seems to be lacking in blood.
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definition:
In Latin, ieiunus means "dry, empty, hungry, or fasting (going without food)."
Ieiunus first came into English around 1398 as "jejunum," the word for a part of the small intestine that we typically found empty during dissections.
Ieiunus came into English again around 1620 as "jejune," which we first used to mean "hungry, or fasting." Soon afterward, we starting using it more figuratively to mean "weak, too thin, or meager" as well as "dry, dull, or boring: lacking in anything interesting, substantial, or creative."
That figurative meaning has stuck around. Today, jejune things are dull, boring, and lacking in substance or creativity.
And, maybe because the word "jejune" looks and sounds like "juvenile," since about 1898 we've also used "jejune" to mean "childish and immature." Some people have a problem with the word being used in this way, saying that it's wrong and that "jejune" must always be used in its original sense ("dull, boring, insubstantial, and unoriginal"). But word meanings always change and multiply over time, and those changes always put some people in a huff.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "That's so jejune;" "What a jejune film."
Other forms:
The adverb is "jejunely."
For a noun for the quality, you can pick between "jejunity" and "jejuneness."
And for a noun for the activity, the behavior, or the product, you can use "jejunery."
how to use it:
Compared to words like "bland," "trite," "banal," "unoriginal," and "unimaginative," the word "jejune" is even more snobby and judgmental. That's because it's a rare word, and highly formal.
And if all that weren't enough, if you don't include enough context, this word can also be unclear: do you mean "jejune" as in "bland, insubstantial;" or "jejune" as in "childish, immature"? Perhaps both? If you're using the second, newer meaning, are you about to get schooled by a cranky lexicographer who's judging you for doing so? Jeez, this word is sounding worse and worse the more I write about it. But we're pretty deep into this issue, you guys, and we gotta see it through.
To risk clobbering you with my point, use "jejune" with care, if you use it at all. You might refer to jejune gossip, comments, articles, novels, shows, dialogue, conversation, etc.
examples:
"Carmelo Anthony carries an often unfair reputation as the jejune hoop star, the man with a smile almost too soft and a manner too easy."
— Michael Powell, New York Times, 24 December 2015
"Rereading 'The Catcher in the Rye' after all those years was almost literally a painful experience: The combination of Salinger's execrable prose and Caulfield's jejune narcissism produced effects comparable to mainlining castor oil.*"
— Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post, 19 October 2004
*Mr. Yardley, did you mean that Caulfied's narcissism was devoid of any substantial basis for it, or devoid of any developing sense of maturity? I mean, for Caulfield it was definitely both, but what did you mean? I'm not mad. I'm still laughing about the castor oil.
has this page helped you understand "jejune"?
study it:
Explain both meanings of "jejune" without saying "childish" or "unoriginal."
try it out:
What's an example of a book, a show, a song, an ad campaign, or a Twitter account that strikes you as jejune? What makes it so jejune?
Or, if you object morally or lexicographically to the use of the word "jejune" (hooray, you're a convert!), talk about why.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for August is "Heard it in Hamilton."
Check out a snippet of lyrics from Hamilton: An American Musical, and see if you can come up with the missing word. You can check your answer by scrolling all the way down.
Try this one today:
WASHINGTON:
Now I'm the model of a modern major general,
the _____ Virginian veteran whose men are all
lining up to put me up on a pedestal.
Definition of the missing word: "treated with extreme respect that borders on worship."
Number of syllables: 4.
review this word:
1.
A few near opposites of JEJUNE are
A. FRIGID and WINTRY.
B. FASCINATING and WISE.
C. RATIONAL and WELL-INFORMED.
2.
A writer for Slate slammed an idea as "a solution _____ would propose," the product of "jejune logic."
A. a small child
B. a bitter ex-spouse
C. a greedy corporation
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Say it "juh JOON."
To use the word jejune, I think you have to stick your nose pretty far up in the air. It's as snobby as they come, so I'm not even recommending you do use it--just that you know it. It suggests that something is so dull and empty that it seems to be lacking in mental nutriment.
In Latin, ieiunus means "dry, empty, hungry, or fasting (going without food)."
Part of speech:
Compared to words like "bland," "trite," "banal," "unoriginal," and "unimaginative," the word "jejune" is even more snobby and judgmental. That's because it's a rare word, and highly formal.
"Carmelo Anthony carries an often unfair reputation as the jejune hoop star, the man with a smile almost too soft and a manner too easy."
Explain both meanings of "jejune" without saying "childish" or "unoriginal."
What's an example of a book, a show, a song, an ad campaign, or a Twitter account that strikes you as jejune? What makes it so jejune?
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
1.
A few near opposites of JEJUNE are
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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