jitney

Meaning

1. A small bus or minibus which typically operates service on a fixed route, sometimes scheduled.
2. An unlicensed taxi cab.
3. A shared-ride taxi.
4. A small coin, a nickel.
5. Very inexpensive.
6. An informal lawn bowling, curling, or darts competition in which all players present are randomly drawn into teams.
7. A fraudulent arrangement whereby a broker who has direct access to an exchange executes trades on behalf of a broker who does not.

Synonyms

autobus

bus

🚌

charabanc

omnibus

passenger vehicle

motorbus

motorcoach

coach

double-decker

stage

cheap

minibus

🚐

Etymology

1886, originally for a five-cent US coin (a nickel); use for taxis and buses due to these services originally charging five cents as fare, popularized circa 1915.
The etymology is uncertain; it is believed to originate from Louisiana Creole jetnée, from French jeton (“token, coin-sized metal disc”), though this is disputed. Evidence for the Louisiana Creole French origin include the geographic distribution (Southeastern US, especially Black/African-American), and early spelling as gitney, which is common French spelling for the /ʒi/ pronunciation.