Meaning & use
jargon
Last updated
UK/ˈdʒɑː.ɡən/
US/ˈdʒɑːr.ɡən/
Meaning
noununcountable
Special words and phrases used by people in one job or field that others often cannot follow.
Grammar: No plural and no a: too much jargon.
Patterns
- jargon of something
- full of jargon
The contract was full of legal jargon.
Doctors should avoid jargon when speaking to patients.
He explained the software without any technical jargon.
Common combinations
- technical jargon
- The manual is filled with technical jargon.
- legal jargon
- I couldn't understand the legal jargon.
- avoid jargon
- Try to avoid jargon in your emails.
- cut through the jargon
- The guide cuts through the jargon.
- business jargon
- Business jargon can sound empty.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lingo
- An informal, often friendly word for the language of a group.
- terminology
- A neutral word for the correct terms of a field.
- slang
- Informal words used by a social group, not a profession.
- gobbledygook
- An informal word for confusing, meaningless official language.
Opposites
plain English
Word family
- jargonistic adjective
- full of jargon
Commonly confused: jargon or slang?
jargon vs slang
Slang is casual speech of a social group, while jargon belongs to a job or field.
Practice
The lawyer's letter was so full of ___ that I needed a friend to explain it.
Choose one answer.
Jargon is specialist language that outsiders find hard. A slogan is a short catchy phrase and does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jargon”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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