definitions

jet lag

or jet·lag

|

noun

a temporary disruption of the body's normal biological rhythms after high-speed air travel through several time zones.

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Nearby words

jet boat, jet condenser, jet engine, jet gun, jet injection, jet lag, jet pipe, jet plane, jet propulsion, jet set, jet ski

Origin of jet lag

First recorded in 1965–70
Related formsjet-lagged, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for jet lag

  • He was still beat from the cold and the jet-lag, the work and the sheer exhaustion.

    Makers|Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for jet lag

jet lag

noun

a general feeling of fatigue and disorientation often experienced by travellers by jet aircraft who cross several time zones in relatively few hours
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for jet lag

jet lag

n.

also jetlag, 1966, from jet (n.2) + lag (n.). Also known in early days as time zone syndrome.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Medicine definitions for jet lag

jet lag

n.

A temporary disruption of normal circadian rhythm caused by high-speed travel across several time zones typically in a jet aircraft, resulting in fatigue and varied constitutional symptoms.
Related formsjet′-lagged′ adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for jet lag

jet lag

A temporary disruption of normal circadian rhythm caused by high-speed travel across several time zones typically in a jet aircraft, resulting in fatigue, disorientation, and disturbed sleep patterns.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for jet lag

jet lag

A temporary disruption of the body's biological clock experienced by persons who travel across several time zones by airplane. The effects of jet lag, which may include fatigue and irritability, generally disappear after a few days as the body's internal rhythms readjust themselves to the new time frame.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.