jism

Meaning

  1. (countable, dated, slang, uncountable) Spirit or energy.
  2. (countable, slang, uncountable, vulgar) Semen.

Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈd͡ʒɪzəm/
Etymology

Originally US English; first attested with the meaning “energy” in 1842, and with the meaning “semen” in c.1888. For semantic development, compare spunk. Perhaps ultimately from British dialect chism, chissom (“a shoot, sprout, sprig”). Unlikely to be related to Arabic جِسْم (jism, “body”) (or its Hindi derivative जिस्म (jisma)).

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