jumbo

American  

[juhm-boh] / ˈdʒʌm boʊ /

noun

plural

jumbos

1. a very large person, animal, or thing.

2. jumbo jet.

3. U.S. Nautical.

   1. a forestaysail having a boom jumbo boom along its foot, used especially on schooners.

   2. a sail used in place of a course on a square-rigged ship, having the form of an isosceles triangle set apex downward.

   3. a narrow triangular sail set point downward in place of a foresail on a topsail schooner.

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adjective

1. very large.

   the jumbo box of cereal.

jumbo British  

/ ˈdʒʌmbəʊ /

noun

1. informal

   1. a very large person or thing

   2. ( as modifier )

      a jumbo box of detergent

2. See jumbo jet

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Etymology

Origin of jumbo

First recorded in 1800–10; origin uncertain; popularized as the name of a large elephant purchased and exhibited by P.T. Barnum in 1882

Example Sentences

"One afternoon as I walked in and looked at this, it seemed to me that it had transformed into a meat cleaver. A jumbo meat cleaver".

From BBC

Preparations began last summer for the Pentagon to refit the Qatari jumbo jet that is expected to serve as Air Force One.

From BBC

Mortgage interest will only be partially deductible on a jumbo mortgage, but you would pay long-term capital gains on that investment growth above and beyond the exemption levels.

From MarketWatch

After a quick stop at the dessert station for a jumbo pecan brownie, I follow my family to a circle of painted lawn chairs.

From Literature

“My parents dragged me both times. It’s total mumbo jumbo, though. Nothing checks out, absolutely nothing scientific about what they claim. But people eat it up.”

From Literature

Related Words

• colossal
• oversized