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jamboree

Etymology and origin of the English word jamboree

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌdʒæm.bəˈɹiː/ (UK)[1]

Etymology

An American English word of unknown origin.[2][3][4][5] Barnhart suggests a coinage from jam on the pattern of shivaree,[6] and Random House a blend of jabber and shivaree with the m of jam “crowd”.[5] Etymonline notes a minstrel song of 1850, Whoop, Jam-Bo-Ree, by Dan Emmett.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A noisy revel; a carousal or spree (1868, originally US slang).[7][6] Merriam-Webster dates it to 1864, and Etymonline has the sense “drunken brawl” by 1858.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

By 1870 the word meant any party or merrymaking.[4] It was chosen as the name of the 1920 International Rally of Boy Scouts,[7][4] and since then has been used of any large scout rally and of large festive gatherings in general.[7][4][5] In euchre it was also a hand containing the five highest cards (1886).[7][1]

Timeline

  • 1850 – Whoop, Jam-Bo-Ree, a minstrel song.[4]
  • 1868 – a noisy revel or spree.[7][6]
  • 1886 – (euchre) a hand of the five highest cards.[7]
  • 1920 – a large international rally of Boy Scouts.[7][4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A noisy celebration or unrestrained carouse.
  2. A large national or international gathering of Scouts or Guides.
  3. A large festive gathering, as of a political party, often with speeches and entertainment.
  • camporee
  • shivaree
  • jubilee

References

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

“Jamboree.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/jamboree. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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