jet lag

American  

Or jetlag

noun

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

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jet lag British  

noun

1. a general feeling of fatigue and disorientation often experienced by travellers by jet aircraft who cross several time zones in relatively few hours

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jet lag Scientific  

1. 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.

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jet lag Cultural  

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• jet-lagged
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of jet lag

First recorded in 1965–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jet lag

She said that they tasted like a “minty, gel-ish Fruit Roll-Up” and that she slept well despite the jet lag.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Emily St. John Mandel touched down in Los Angeles just hours before she arrived at Botanica in Silver Lake, shirt crisp, eyes bright, not a hint of jet lag in sight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

To stay sharp, they’ve cracked the secret to beating jet lag.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

"If they don't quite get things right after the 16-hour flight, you still might have that jet lag, even though you're trying to avoid it."

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Baba told me to stay up a little later when I said good night, insisting that I shouldn’t go to sleep too early or my jet lag would be worse.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

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