Jeep
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
Etymology
Origin of Jeep
An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; alteration of G.P. (for General Purpose) Vehicle, or special use of Eugene the Jeep, name of fabulous animal in comic strip “Popeye” by E. C. Segar
Explanation
A jeep is a rugged car made for driving in difficult conditions, like unpaved roads and across sand. Many military vehicles are jeeps. Jeeps were originally developed for use on Army bases — they're hardy little cars with four-wheel drive that can handle rough terrain. A jeep is sometimes called a "light utility vehicle." It's quicker and smaller than a truck or larger utility vehicle, and most jeeps are now owned by civilians. If the word is capitalized, it's the specific, trademarked brand of cars. Jeep was originally Army slang from the 1940s, a blending of G.P., or "general purpose vehicle."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Stellantis said it would invest 70% of its brand and product investment in four global brands that have the greatest scale and highest potential profitability: Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, and FIAT.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The announcement came at an investor day by parent company Stellantis, which also owns Jeep, Ram and Fiat, among other brands.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
Jeep and Ram are said to be two of Stellantis’s “four key brands,” with the other two being its mainstream European makes, Peugeot and Fiat.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
The plan comes after the two automakers recently agreed to partner on the production of EVs under the Peugeot and Jeep brands in China that will be sold in the domestic market and overseas.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
We didn’t go home, but went straight to the sanctuary, lurching up the road in a borrowed Jeep.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
