Mary Jane
1 Americannoun
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Mary Janes, small bits of chocolate, candy, sugar, or the like, for sprinkling on ice cream; sprinkles.
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a brand of young girls' low-heeled shoe of patent leather having across the instep a single strap that fastens at the side.
noun
noun
Etymology
Origin of Mary Jane
First recorded in 1925–30; translation of Mexican Spanish marijuana, by the popular assumption—probably incorrect—that it is a compound of Spanish María and Juana
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.
See Examples For:
“This was hugely consequential and very different from what has happened in previous rebalances because we got Apple, Microsoft, Amazon,” said Mary Jane Matts, director of large-cap equities at CS McKee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
In December, Indonesia also took Mary Jane Veloso off death row and returned her to the Philippines.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2025
“It’s daily moral agony for her,” Mary Jane marvels.
From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2024
Her look also included a small black handbag and chrome peep-toe Mary Jane flats.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2023
“It’s all right. I have a whole pack,” Mary Jane said.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
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She had picked out her favorite mask — a blue one with white polka-dots — and a pair of mary jane shoes with cats on them for her first day.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 29, 2020
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.