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• jet
  jet

  noun

  a stream of a liquid, gas, or small solid particles forcefully shooting forth from a nozzle, orifice, etc.
• JET
  JET

  acronym

  Joint European Torus; a tokamak plasma-containment device at Culham, Oxfordshire, for research into energy production by nuclear fusion

jet

¹ American  

[jet] / dʒɛt /

noun

1. a stream of a liquid, gas, or small solid particles forcefully shooting forth from a nozzle, orifice, etc.

2. something that issues in such a stream, as water or gas.

3. a spout or nozzle for emitting liquid or gas.

   a gas jet.

4. jet plane.

5. jet engine.

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verb (used without object)

• jets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• jetted,
  past participle,  past
• jetting
  present participle

1. to travel by jet plane.

   to jet to Las Vegas for the weekend.

2. to move or travel by means of jet propulsion.

   The octopus jetted away from danger.

3. to be shot forth in a stream.

4. to move or travel rapidly.

   The star halfback jetted toward the goal line.

verb (used with object)

• jets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• jetted,
  past participle,  past
• jetting
  present participle

1. to transport by jet plane.

   The nonstop service from New York will jet you to Tokyo in 13 hours.

2. to shoot (something) forth in a stream; spout.

3. to place (a pile or the like) by eroding the ground beneath it with a jet of water or of water and compressed air.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or associated with a jet, jet engine, or jet plane.

   jet pilot; jet exhaust.

2. in the form of or producing a jet or jet propulsion.

   jet nozzle.

3. by means of a jet plane.

   a jet trip; jet transportation.

jet ² American  

[jet] / dʒɛt /

noun

1. a compact black coal, susceptible of a high polish, used for making beads, jewelry, buttons, etc.

2. a deep black.

3. Obsolete. black marble.

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adjective

1. consisting or made of jet.

2. of the color jet; black as jet.

jet ¹ British  

/ dʒɛt /

noun

1. 1. a hard black variety of coal that takes a brilliant polish and is used for jewellery, ornaments, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      jet earrings

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JET ² British  

/ dʒɛt /

acronym

1. Joint European Torus; a tokamak plasma-containment device at Culham, Oxfordshire, for research into energy production by nuclear fusion

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jet ³ British  

/ dʒɛt /

noun

1. a thin stream of liquid or gas forced out of a small aperture or nozzle

2. an outlet or nozzle for emitting such a stream

3. a jet-propelled aircraft

4. astronomy a long thin feature extending from an active galaxy and usually observed at radio wavelengths

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verb

1. to issue or cause to issue in a jet

   water jetted from the hose

   he jetted them with water

2. to transport or be transported by jet aircraft

jet Scientific  

/ jĕt /

1. A rapid stream of liquid or gas forced through a small opening or nozzle under pressure.

2. An aircraft or other vehicle propelled by one or more jet engines.

3. A jet engine.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• jetting
  present
• jetted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• jet
  simple
• jets
  simple
• have jetted
  perfect
• has jetted
  perfect
• am jetting
  progressive
• are jetting
  progressive
• is jetting
  progressive
• have been jetting
  perfect progressive
• has been jetting
  perfect progressive

Past

• jetted
  simple
• had jetted
  perfect
• was jetting
  progressive
• were jetting
  progressive
• had been jetting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will jet
  simple
• will have jetted
  perfect
• will be jetting
  progressive
• will have been jetting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of jet¹

First recorded in 1660–70; 1940–45 jet ¹ for def. 4; from Middle French jeter “to throw,” from unrecorded Vulgar Latin jectāre, from Latin jactus, past participle of jacere “to throw”

Origin of jet²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English jet(e), get(e), from Old French jaiet, gaiet, from Latin gagātēs, from Greek (líthos) gagā́tēs “Gagatic (stone),” named after Gágai, town in Lycia

Explanation

A jet is an airplane that can rapidly travel long distances. To jet is the act of getting somewhere quickly, by jet or any other way, as in, "Do you see what time it is? We better jet!" A jet is an aircraft that gets its power from jet engines rather than propellers. Jets are fast — that's probably why as a verb, jet means "to move quickly," either by taking a jet, like the celebrities who jet around the world, or the more ordinary "if I don't jet, I'll be late for school." Dishwashers and certain kinds of tubs have jets, tiny openings that push water out with great force. The streams of water are also called, you guessed it, jets.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jet JET jets jetted jetting

So far this autumn, the jet stream - which determines what sort of air mass affects the UK - has been sitting to the north.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

According to the model, a fast-moving jet of quarks should disturb the surrounding plasma and leave a wake behind, causing the material to ripple and splash.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

The Bakkers had a famously opulent lifestyle, owning a private jet, multiple homes, luxury cars, jewellery and even an air-conditioned dog house.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Since Singapore joined F1’s schedule in 2008, the brains behind the finely tuned machines at the likes of Ferrari and McLaren have brought that same optimization to jet lag.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

A jet of white light zips from my mom’s hand and flies at Uncle Ty, but he dodges her juju.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

A new world record for energy generated by nuclear fusion - the process that powers the stars - has been set at the UK-based JET laboratory.

From BBC ● Feb. 8, 2024

Professor Barry Green recounts the moment in June 1983 when the JET fusion laboratory in Oxford undertook its first experiment.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2023

Last month, the 40-year-old JET started its final run of experiments before it is switched off for good at the end of the year.

From Science Magazine ● Sep. 7, 2023

The acquisition gives JET a foothold in the U.S. market, but the newly merged company is already facing pressure to sell off Grubhub as JET’s stock continues to tumble on the Amsterdam stock exchange.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 24, 2022

JET There is more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet and ivory.

From Shakespeare and Precious Stones Treating of the Known References of Precious Stones in Shakespeare's Works, with Comments as to the Origin of His Material, the Knowledge of the Poet Concerning Precious Stones, and References as to Where the Precious Stones of His Time Came from by George Frederick Kunz

Musk could buy about 11,000 F-35 fighter jets.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Meanwhile, a Saudi-led military coalition said its fighter jets had destroyed more than 300 "high-value" targets in strikes supporting the offensive.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

While the quartet — the first metal band to perform at Sphere — tore through the instrumental deep cut “The Call of Ktulu,” that drippy leviathan swatted at life-sized fighter jets on the screen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

Those carriers, along with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, also have said they weren’t flying jets with the flawed software.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

From the street below, the top floor of the Rookery seemed aflame with the shifting light of the jets and the fire in the great hearth.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

He has made climate accords with foreign nations, jetted to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, and committed California to a net-zero “partnership” with China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

As they jetted away from San Francisco International Airport later that night, he said, “I guess I’m not a Beatle anymore.”

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026

They’d jetted in on separate planes, lest one go down.

From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026

In October, US President Donald Trump jetted to Malaysia to oversee the signing of a follow-on declaration, touting new trade deals after the neighbours agreed to prolong their truce.

From Barron's ● Jan. 6, 2026

While the water swirled and jetted around him, he wondered how he might somehow be able to dump Levy' Pants in the lap of some poor buyer.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

More recently, technology executives have racked up the mileage jetting to Capitol Hill to speak on the issue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Once again Rutte stepped in -- jetting to Washington to see Trump.

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

Had he made that announcement a few hours earlier, maybe Congress could have passed some sort of brief extension before jetting off.

From Slate ● Jun. 13, 2026

Inverness Caley Thistle legend Charlie Christie - the father of Scotland star Ryan - will also be jetting out to the US with his family.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

So while I thought Mom was jetting between the Maldives and Bermuda, Camille thought she was hiding in Fiji.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• airplane
• plane