jumbo

Meaning

Adj

Especially large or powerful.

Noun

1. An especially large or powerful person, animal, or thing.
2. An elephant.
3. A platform-mounted machine for drilling rock.
4. A large airplane, such as those used for intercontinental travel.
5. Synonym of bologna (“type of meat”)
6. A wide roll of machine-trimmed paper, ready to be cut into smaller widths.

Noun

Short for mumbo jumbo (“a deity or other supernatural being worshipped by certain West African peoples; an idol representing such a being”).

Synonyms

giant

jumbo jet

elephantine

gargantuan

huge

greatness

immense

large

large scale

massive

monster

tremendous

macrosis

monkey cooler

Goliath

tunneling shield

beast

big

enormous

giantism

Hyphenated as

jum‧bo

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈd͡ʒʌmbəʊ/

Etymology

From Jumbo (1860–1885), the name given to a large African elephant from East Africa that was purchased in 1882 by American showman P. T. Barnum (1810–1891) for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Compare Swahili jambo (“matter, thing”) and jumbe (“chief, headman”).