jute

¹ American  

[joot] / dʒut /

noun

1. a strong, coarse fiber used for making burlap, gunny, cordage, etc., obtained from two East Indian plants, Corchorus capsularis and C. olitorius, of the linden family.

2. either of these plants.

3. any plant of the same genus.

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Jute ² American  

[joot] / dʒut /

noun

1. a member of a continental Germanic tribe, probably from Jutland, that invaded Britain in the 5th century a.d. and settled in Kent.

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jute ¹ British  

/ dʒuːt /

noun

1. either of two Old World tropical yellow-flowered herbaceous plants, Corchorus capsularis or C. olitorius, cultivated for their strong fibre: family Tiliaceae

2. this fibre, used in making sacks, rope, etc

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Jute ² British  

/ dʒuːt /

noun

1. a member of one of various Germanic tribes, some of whom invaded England in the 6th century _ad , settling in Kent

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Other Word Forms

• Jutish adjective
• jutelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of jute

First recorded in 1740–50, jute is from the Bengali word jhuṭo

Explanation

Jute is a very long fiber that comes from a plant and is used to make rugs, ropes, and other things. Jute twine feels coarse and rough, and is very strong. Jute is useful because of its length and cheapness — it provides an easy way to make an inexpensive sack or floor mat. If you've ever planted a small tree, you've probably uncovered its roots from their jute wrapping first, and if you've bought a five-pound bag of rice or sugar, it most likely came in a rough jute bag. Jute comes from the Bengali word jhuto, from the Sanskrit root juta-s, "twisted hair."

Example Sentences

The result is a surprisingly cohesive look with jute rugs, light woods and striped linens creating a relaxed California coastal vibe with touches of Palm Springs and France.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

Ms. Rizer begins in a peasant shift of woven jute and ends, after seven layers and 154 pounds of increasing Tolstoyan grandeur, cocooned in a wintry mantle of taupe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2025

To bring her vision to life, Ejikeme has her rugs produced in India and Nepal, where jute is more widely developed into a thriving industry.

From BBC • Nov. 2, 2024

Dairy workers wrapped their cans with jute to keep the milk from spoiling.

From Seattle Times • May 22, 2023

There, cross-legged on a square of jute, she recorded inventory for the cosmetics shop that her cousin Haldar owned and managed at the mouth of our courtyard.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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