plain Jane

¹

noun

, Informal.

1. a drab, unattractive, and generally uninteresting girl or woman.

plain-Jane

²

or plain-jane

[ pleyn-jeyn ]

adjective

, Informal.

1. simple and modest; unadorned; basic:

   a plain-Jane car dressed up with leather upholstery.

Word History and Origins

Origin of plain Jane¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Origin of plain Jane²

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The Daily Pic: Fluorescent tubes as plain-Jane art supplies.

From The Daily Beast

"Plain Jane," laughed little Estella, swinging on Jane's arm.

From Project Gutenberg

And it will be ever thus, Plain Jane, for where could we ever find a man worthy of our splendid selves?

From Project Gutenberg