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.
Jeep and Fiat owner Stellantis said in May it had formed a joint venture with China's Dongfeng to share manufacturing, sales and engineering operations on the continent.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Dashcam video of the incident showed traffic slowing down far ahead of the white Jeep as it stopped abruptly in front of the semi, causing the truck to rear-end the vehicle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
“Those EV cars, they’ll run you over because you can’t even hear them,” said Matthews, 28, who lives in Manchester, England, and bought her navy Jeep Wrangler YJ last month for about $16,500.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Workers at a site of Jeep maker Stellantis near the French city of Mulhouse said they were ending their shifts early from Tuesday to Sunday in protest at working conditions during the boiling hot weather.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
She turns off the Jeep and we both get out, and then I make the mistake of looking at Coop’s window and see that his light is still on.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
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.
