josh

¹ American  

[josh] / dʒɒʃ /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to chaff; banter in a teasing way.

---

noun

1. good-natured banter.

Josh ² American  

[josh] / dʒɒʃ /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Joshua.

---

Josh. ³ American  

abbreviation

Bible.

1. Joshua.

---

josh ¹ British  

/ dʒɒʃ /

verb

1. to tease (someone) in a bantering way

---

noun

1. a teasing or bantering joke

Josh. ² British  

abbreviation

1. Joshua

---

Other Word Forms

• josher noun

Etymology

Origin of josh

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; of obscure origin

Explanation

When you josh, you joke around, teasing and bantering. You probably josh your brother about the weird things he says when he talks in his sleep. Most people laugh when someone joshes with them, although others take offense or don't realize that you're only joking. Your favorite uncle might josh around with you, making you giggle, and you can josh right back at him, teasing him for his silly mustache. Josh comes from American slang, from the boy's name Joshua, although it's not clear why this name was used to mean "be silly."

Example Sentences

"I'd have prawn puri for starters, lamb rogan josh, Bombay potatoes with some saag aloo, peshwari naan, all the poppadoms, pilau rice, saag paneer," Benn says.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2025

Army company in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970, as a group of men trek across the jungle, land in firefights and use downtime to josh and fight over God, country, race and more.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2025

Holtz is a wiry man with a lined face, a Brooklyn accent—he grew up in Sheepshead Bay—and a digressive speaking style that his colleagues like to josh about.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 18, 2019

Focus on your life and your daughter and move on josh.

From Slate • Aug. 13, 2019

And the same thought went through all their minds, josh Billings was a great man, a great writer.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck