jams

¹

[jamz]

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. Informal.,  pajamas.

Jams

²

[jamz]

Trademark.

1. a brand of baggy, brightly patterned, knee-length swim trunks.

Word History and Origins

Origin of jams¹

First recorded in 1965–70; by shortening

Example Sentences

The most important development has been his relationship with Roberts, who left Snell in the game after late-inning mound visits in each of his last two starts, and watched him escape high-leverage jams.

From Los Angeles Times

The 23-year-old activist was scrolling through his social media feed in May, when he read complaints about how the high-profile marriage ceremony sparked huge traffic jams in the city of Bhaktapur.

From BBC

Some tracks had “spawned from jams” before being shelved for a while: “Some of them took two hours, some of them took two years,” he puts it plainly.

From Los Angeles Times

Amid January’s historic firestorm in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the Sunset fire ignited in the Hollywood Hills near Runyon Canyon, prompting widespread evacuation orders and massive traffic jams as residents rushed to flee the area.

From Los Angeles Times

Nearby residents said living next to the diner is “absolute hell” due to loud construction, traffic jams and giant movie screens blocking the view from their balconies.

From Salon

Related Words

• bikini 
• swimsuit 

When To Use

What does jams mean?

Jams is a very informal word for pajamas—the clothes you wear to sleep in.The word jammies means the same thing but is more common. Terms like jammies, jams, and jam-jams are typically used by children, adults speaking to children, or people using childish words to be silly. A more common synonym for pajamas is p.j.’s, which is informal but not as informal as jammies.You could say that whatever clothes children change into before going to bed are their jams. Traditionally, though, the word refers to clothes that were specifically made and sold for sleeping in, typically consisting of soft, loose-fitting pants or shorts and a (sometimes matching) top.When adults use the words jams or jammies to refer to what they’re wearing, it’s usually to refer to clothes worn for sleeping, but not always. People sometimes use such terms to refer to the clothes they wear to lounge in, especially before bed, though the terms p.j.’s and pajamas are more likely to be used this way. In all cases, the word jams is used very informally.The word jams is also the plural of the noun jam or a present-tense version of the verb jam, both of which have many meanings.Example: OK, kids, time for bed—go brush your teeth and change into your dinosaur jams.