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  • Mary Jane
    Mary Jane
    noun
    a small, round sponge cake, usually with a circular indentation on top, for topping with fruit, whipped cream, etc., and served as an individual portion.
  • mary jane
    mary jane
    noun
    a slang term for marijuana

Mary Jane

1 American  
[mair-ee jayn] / ˈmɛər i ˈdʒeɪn /

noun

  1. a small, round sponge cake, usually with a circular indentation on top, for topping with fruit, whipped cream, etc., and served as an individual portion.


Trademark.
  1. Mary Janes, small bits of chocolate, candy, sugar, or the like, for sprinkling on ice cream; sprinkles.

  2. a brand of young girls' low-heeled shoe of patent leather having across the instep a single strap that fastens at the side.

Mary Jane 2 American  
[mair-ee jayn] / ˈmɛər i ˌdʒeɪn /
Or maryjane

noun

Slang.
  1. marijuana. MJ


mary jane British  

noun

  1. a slang term for marijuana

"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 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:

Mary Jane Roberts believed she collected up to £600 for Macmillan at the funeral of her mother, Lynne Wheal, and was told by Bush: "We'll take care of it, don't worry".

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

“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

But then there’s also the people you build relationships with and end up in the studio together — Dev or our friend Mary Jane Dunphe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025

The deputy was standing alongside a woman that Elgan recognized as Mary Jane Zakas, 77, a longtime elementary schoolteacher and a leader in the local Republican Party.

From New York Times ● Jun. 6, 2024

It was almost three o’clock when Mary Jane finally found Eloise’s house.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

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

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