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cajole

Etymology and origin of the English word cajole

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Formation
Borrowing
Borrowed from
French cajoler

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kəˈdʒəʊl/ (UK); /kəˈd͡ʒoʊl/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French cajoler (“to wheedle, coax”),[2][3][4][5] a word of uncertain origin.[5] It is possibly a blend of Middle French cageoler (“to chatter like a jay”) and Old French gaioler (“to cage, entice into a cage”).[2][4][5] Random House instead derives it from a word for a birdcage, ultimately from Latin cavea “cage”.[6] Barnhart adds that the spelling may have been influenced by French enjôler “to coax”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

To win someone over by deceptive flattery or false promises (1645).[7][4][5]

Semantic evolution

The image is of luring a bird into a cage, or of chattering like a jay.[2][5] The English verb has kept the idea of persuasion by flattery, though now usually without the sense of outright deception;[2][3] Merriam-Webster still records “to deceive with soothing words” as a separate sense.[3] Cajolery followed in 1649 and cajoler in 1677.[4]

Timeline

  • 1630 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.[3]
  • 1645 – to persuade by flattery or false means.[7][4]
  • 1649 – the noun cajolery.[4]
  • 1663 – with into, to coax into an action.[7]
  • 1749 – to get something out of someone by flattery.[7]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To persuade someone, especially someone reluctant, by flattery, coaxing or promises.
  2. To obtain something by gentle persuasion.
  3. To deceive with soothing words or false promises.

Word family

  • cajoler
  • cajolingly
  • cajolement
  • cajolery
  • jail
  • cage
  • jay

Usage notes

Among words for persuading by pleasing words, cajole implies the deliberate use of flattery to overcome reluctance, while coax, soft-soap, blandish and wheedle differ in tone.[3]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  5. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Cajole.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/cajole. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·