jargon1 (ˈdʒɑːɡən) ![]() | |
| —n | |
| 1. | specialized language concerned with a particular subject, culture, or profession |
| 2. | language characterized by pretentious syntax, vocabulary, or meaning |
| 3. | gibberish |
| 4. | another word for pidgin |
| —vb | |
| 5. | (intr) to use or speak in jargon |
| [C14: from Old French, perhaps of imitative origin; see | |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
A special language belonging exclusively to a group, often a profession. Engineers, lawyers, doctors, tax analysts, and the like all use jargon to exchange complex information efficiently. Jargon is often unintelligible to those outside the group that uses it. For example, here is a passage from a computer manual with the jargon italicized: “The RZ887-x current loop interface allows the computer to use a centronics blocked duplex protocol.” (See slang.)