john

[ jon ]
See synonyms for john on Thesaurus.com
nounSlang.
  1. a toilet or bathroom.

  2. (sometimes initial capital letter) a fellow; guy.

  1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a prostitute's customer.

  2. Also called john mule . a male mule, or more properly a gelded mule.: Compare horse mule.

Origin of john

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English Johan, Iohan, John; generic use of the proper name

Words Nearby john

Other definitions for John (2 of 2)

John
[ jon ]

noun
  1. the apostle John, believed to be the author of the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the book of Revelation.

  1. John Lackland, 1167?–1216, king of England 1199–1216; signer of the Magna Carta 1215 (son of Henry II of England).

  2. Augustus Edwin, 1878–1961, British painter and etcher.

  3. Elton Reginald Kenneth Dwight, born 1947, English rock singer, pianist, and songwriter.

  4. the fourth Gospel.

  5. any of the three Epistles of John: 1, 2, or 3 John.

  6. a male given name.

Origin of John

2
Middle English Johan, John, Jon, from Medieval Latin Jō(h)annēs, from Greek Iōánnēs, from Hebrew Yôkhānān, contracted from Yĕhôkhānān “God has been gracious”; cf. Anna, Yahweh

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use john in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for john (1 of 2)

john

/ (dʒɒn) /


noun
  1. mainly US and Canadian a slang word for lavatory (def. 1)

  2. slang, mainly US a prostitute's client

  1. Australian slang short for John Hop

Origin of john

1
C20: special use of the proper name

British Dictionary definitions for John (2 of 2)

John

/ (dʒɒn) /


noun
  1. New Testament

    • the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, identified with the author of the fourth Gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. Feast day: Dec 27 or Sept 26

    • the fourth Gospel

    • any of three epistles (in full The First, Second, and Third Epistles of John)

  1. known as John Lackland. 1167–1216, king of England (1199–1216); son of Henry II. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Richard I, having previously tried to usurp the throne. War with France led to the loss of most of his French possessions. After his refusal to recognize Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury an interdict was imposed on England (1208–14). In 1215 he was compelled by the barons to grant the Magna Carta

  2. called the Fearless . 1371–1419, duke of Burgundy (1404–19). His attempt to control the mad king Charles VI and his murder of the king's brother led to civil war: assassinated

  3. Augustus (Edwin). 1878–1961, British painter, esp of portraits

  4. Barry born 1945, Welsh Rugby Union footballer: halfback for Wales (1966–72) and the British Lions (1968–71)

  5. Sir Elton (Hercules). original name Reginald Dwight. born 1947, British rock pianist, composer, and singer; his hits include "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) and "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997), a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales

  6. Gwen, sister of Augustus John. 1876–1939, British painter, working in France: noted esp for her portraits of women

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012