jelly

American  

[jel-ee] / ˈdʒɛl i /

noun

jellies plural

1. a food preparation of a soft, elastic consistency due to the presence of gelatin, pectin, etc., especially fruit juice boiled down with sugar and used as a sweet spread for bread and toast, as a filling for cakes or doughnuts, etc.

2. any substance having the consistency of jelly.

3. Chiefly British. a fruit-flavored gelatin dessert.

4. a plastic sandal or shoe.

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verb (used with or without object)

jellied, jellying

1. to bring or come to the consistency of jelly.

adjective

1. containing or made, spread, or topped with jelly or syrup; jellied.

   jelly apples.

jelly ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒɛlɪ /

noun

1. US and Canadian trademark: Jell-o.  a fruit-flavoured clear dessert set with gelatine

2. a preserve made from the juice of fruit boiled with sugar and used as jam

3. a savoury food preparation set with gelatine or with a strong gelatinous stock and having a soft elastic consistency

   calf's-foot jelly

4. anything having the consistency of jelly

5. informal a coloured gelatine filter that can be fitted in front of a stage or studio light

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verb

1. to jellify

jelly ² British  

/ ˈdʒɛlɪ /

noun

1. a slang name for gelignite

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Other Word Forms

• jelly-like
  adjective
• jellylike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of jelly

1350–1400; Middle English gely < Old French gelee frozen jelly < Medieval Latin gelāta frozen, equivalent to Latin gel- freeze + -āta -ate ¹; cf. gel, cold

Explanation

Jelly is a sweet preserved form of fruit that's usually made with sugar. Your favorite breakfast might be buttered toast spread thickly with strawberry jelly. Jelly is the close relative to jam and preserves — jelly is typically more translucent than its fruitier cousins, and is sometimes made with juice rather than whole pieces of fruit. Outside of North America, jelly is a dessert made from gelatin. Jelly comes from the Old French gelee, "jelly" and also "frost," from the verb geler, "to congeal," with its Latin root gelare, "to freeze."

Example Sentences

The sensory mismatch — a coconut-flavored “potato” — is a little kid’s dream, like the Jelly Belly “Bean Boozled” pack or a cupcake that looks like a hamburger.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

Jelly Belly got its start in 1869 when 24-year-old Gustav Goelitz opened a candy business in Illinois.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Offices will close at 1 Jelly Belly Lane and three more locations on North Watney Way.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

“This reduction in force is after careful integration across various corporate functions.... We anticipate no impact to the Jelly Belly brand, our products, manufacturing levels, or service to our customers.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

“But he gets them tapping,” Jelly Bones said.

From "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Related Words

• gelatin