jet
1 Americannoun
-
a stream of a liquid, gas, or small solid particles forcefully shooting forth from a nozzle, orifice, etc.
-
something that issues in such a stream, as water or gas.
-
a spout or nozzle for emitting liquid or gas.
a gas jet.
verb (used without object)
-
to travel by jet plane.
to jet to Las Vegas for the weekend.
-
to move or travel by means of jet propulsion.
The octopus jetted away from danger.
-
to be shot forth in a stream.
-
to move or travel rapidly.
The star halfback jetted toward the goal line.
verb (used with object)
-
to transport by jet plane.
The nonstop service from New York will jet you to Tokyo in 13 hours.
-
to shoot (something) forth in a stream; spout.
-
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
-
of, relating to, or associated with a jet, jet engine, or jet plane.
jet pilot; jet exhaust.
-
in the form of or producing a jet or jet propulsion.
jet nozzle.
-
by means of a jet plane.
a jet trip; jet transportation.
noun
-
a compact black coal, susceptible of a high polish, used for making beads, jewelry, buttons, etc.
-
a deep black.
-
Obsolete. black marble.
adjective
-
consisting or made of jet.
-
of the color jet; black as jet.
noun
-
a thin stream of liquid or gas forced out of a small aperture or nozzle
-
an outlet or nozzle for emitting such a stream
-
a jet-propelled aircraft
-
astronomy a long thin feature extending from an active galaxy and usually observed at radio wavelengths
verb
-
to issue or cause to issue in a jet
water jetted from the hose
he jetted them with water
-
to transport or be transported by jet aircraft
noun
acronym
-
A rapid stream of liquid or gas forced through a small opening or nozzle under pressure.
-
An aircraft or other vehicle propelled by one or more jet engines.
-
A jet engine.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
jetsimple
-
jetssimple
-
have jettedperfect
-
has jettedperfect
-
am jettingprogressive
-
are jettingprogressive
-
is jettingprogressive
-
have been jettingperfect progressive
-
has been jettingperfect progressive
Past
-
jettedsimple
-
had jettedperfect
-
was jettingprogressive
-
were jettingprogressive
-
had been jettingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing jet
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Name On: Pro Sports Team Names, Part 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Black and Gray
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The Swedish royal family paid a rare visit to Canada last year as part of the country’s effort to pitch Saab’s Gripen jet fighters as an alternative to Lockheed Martin’s F-35s.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
A ridge of high pressure linked to the Azores High - a large semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure - is expected to extend north-eastwards across the UK, while the jet stream shifts further north.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026
The jet will fly over the National Mall alongside the Defense Department’s most impressive equipment on Saturday, before the president delivers a speech in what is forecast to be a blistering heat wave.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026
About 67% of the cargo volume was refined products, such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, and about 26% crude oil.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
They gathered Freebie from the luxury kennel, and their families headed back to their private jet.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
![]()
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.