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jigsaw

American  
[jig-saw] / ˈdʒɪgˌsɔ /

noun

  1. Also jig saw an electric machine saw with a narrow blade mounted vertically in a frame, for cutting curves or other difficult lines or patterns.

verb (used with object)

jigsawed, jigsawed, jigsawn, jigsawing

  1. to cut or form with a jigsaw.

adjective

  1. formed by or as if by a jigsaw.

    jigsaw ornamentation.
jigsaw British  
/ ˈdʒɪɡˌsɔː /

noun

  1. a mechanical saw with a fine steel blade for cutting intricate curves in sheets of material

  2. See jigsaw puzzle

"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

Etymology

Origin of jigsaw

First recorded in 1870–75; jig 2 + saw 1

Explanation

A jigsaw is a sharp power tool that's used for cutting curvy lines in wood or other materials. While most saws can only cut in a straight line, a jigsaw makes it easier to cut complicated patterns and shapes. If you were making a jigsaw puzzle out of wood, you'd use a jigsaw. In fact, this is where the "jigsaw puzzle," (which is also simply called a jigsaw), got its name. The original meaning comes from the word jig and its sense of "up and down motion," which describes the way a jigsaw moves as it cuts.

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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 event at Woodhouse Grove School in Apperley Bridge, was hosted by the UK Jigsaw Puzzle Association – with two events, a solo event and a pairs competition.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2025

As he starts a new composition book for another Jigsaw tale, his own storied life keeps adding pages.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 1, 2024

Vanessa Dooley now runs consultancy firm Jigsaw Early Years Consultancy, giving advice to nurseries and preschools.

From BBC • May 4, 2023

Google’s Jigsaw unit has approximately 70 people primarily based in New York, according to the Financial Times, while Meta has said it has a team of hundreds of people focused on counter-terror work.

From Washington Times • Jan. 5, 2023

Jigsaw puzzlers found their happy place, and their people, during the pandemic.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 15, 2022

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.