jawn

noun

ˈjȯn 

plural jawns

chiefly Philadelphia

1

slang

—used to refer to a person, place, thing, event, etc. whose name one does not know or does not need to specify because it can be inferred by context

… they didn't perform a free jawn on the Parkway this past Fourth of July …

—Caralyn Green

My dad's Afro is thick and flat at the back like how Muhammad Ali's jawn was back in the day.

—MK Asante

After four years of living in Philadelphia, I decided it was time to experience this jawn, track down the best food, and learn the ropes from some pro tailgaters.

—Hira Qureshi

Good news, jawns. Two Pennsylvanian accents have been deemed among the world's top 10 favorites coming out of the United States.

—Claudia Dimuro

Note: This use of jawn originated in African American English as used in Philadelphia and then expanded to the broader Philadelphia dialect.

2

African American English slang, sometimes offensive : girl, woman

"Boy, get off the computer so I can call my cab," Tae yelled at Dontae. "Wait, these jawns love me."

—Daaimah S. Poole

Usually … when you're talking about a human jawn, it's in reference to a girl.

—Eve Jihan Cooper

That's what I learned, about him and most guys: who they are when they're giving you flowers … is not who they really are when it's no longer spring and they've found a new jawn to hang out with.

—Elizabeth Acevedo

Men will tell you, "Of course, you can use jawn to refer to a woman." A lot of women would say, "You'd better not."

—Muffy Siegel, quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer

Word History

Etymology

probably representing African American English pronunciation of joint entry 1 (compare sense 3b, "place, establishment")

First Known Use

circa 2002, in the meaning defined at sense 1