jape

American  

[jeyp] / dʒeɪp /

verb (used without object)

japed, japing

1. to jest; joke; gibe.

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verb (used with object)

japed, japing

1. to mock or make fun of.

noun

1. a joke; jest; quip.

2. a trick or practical joke.

jape British  

/ dʒeɪp /

noun

1. a jest or joke

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verb

1. to joke or jest (about)

Other Word Forms

• japer
  noun
• japery
  noun
• japingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of jape

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English japen, perhaps from Old French jap(p)er “to bark,” of imitative origin

Explanation

A jape is a joke. The highlight of your family get-togethers might be your funny uncle's japes. You can tell a jape, or play a jape — or a practical joke — on someone. An older sister might tell her little brother, "I'm not interested in your silly childish japes" when he shows her his whoopie cushion, for example. You could also say that you love your annual holiday party at work, because instead of the usual stress, it's all laughing and japes. The word jape most likely comes from the Old French verb japer, "to howl, bawl, or scream."

Example Sentences

It’s all an extravagant, occasionally amusing jape, and perfectly suited to Cage’s acting style, which has always been more suited to old-school German expressionism than the subtleties of American naturalism.

From Washington Post • Apr. 12, 2023

McDonald and Jim Youngren came up with the billboard as a jape on the prevailing national image of Seattle in the wake of the Boeing bust.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 9, 2021

Yes, there is a jape about polyphasic sleep.

From The Verge • Feb. 26, 2020

How much of it are we meant to read as thinly veiled auto-critique versus a wickedly funny jape?

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2018

“Is that a jape? No. No, don’t tell me, I must see him for myself.”

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin