jilt

verb

\ ˈjilt

How to pronounce jilt (audio)

\

jilted; jilting; jilts

Definition of jilt

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to cast off or reject (someone, such as a lover) capriciously or unfeelingly a jilted lover

jilt

noun

Definition of jilt (Entry 2 of 2)

: a person who casts off or rejects someone previously accepted as a lover : one who jilts (see jilt entry 1) a lover

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Did You Know?

Verb

Jilt traces back to the English dialect noun jillet ("a flirtatious girl"), itself from Jill or Gill (used both as a proper name and as a noun meaning "girl") plus the diminutive suffix -et. Jilt itself came into use in the second half of the 17th century as a noun meaning "an unchaste woman" (a sense that is now obsolete) or "a woman who capriciously casts a lover aside," and also as a verb used for the actions of such a woman. These days, the person doing the jilting can be either male or female, and though jilt usually implies the sudden ending of a romantic relationship, it can also be used beyond the context of a romantic relationship with the broader meaning "to sever close relations with."

Examples of jilt in a Sentence

Verb

She was crushed when he jilted her. still trying to get over being jilted by his longtime girlfriend

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Life was rosy until Oct. 23, 1909, when Hassler learned she had been jilted. — Dawn Mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "When Carl Fisher got married — his jilted lover got even," 11 May 2018 Johnson, already jilted by George, didn’t have either in hand. — Lee Jenkins, SI.com, "Inside Decision 3.0: LeBron James Follows in the Footsteps of Legends," 1 July 2018 But here’s the thing to remember: this won’t be the same Recording Academy that has jilted JAY and Bey in recent years. — Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, "Why Beyonce & JAY-Z's 'Everything Is Love' Album Is Already a No-Brainer Grammys Contender," 20 June 2018 Then came the 2004 season, which was marked by two controversies that left Cal and Auburn feeling jilted and put the polls that determined their fate in a burdensome position. — Ross Dellenger, SI.com, "Inside the AP's Fateful 2004 Decision to Withdraw Its Poll From the BCS Formula," 12 July 2018 The knee-jerk reaction to infidelity, most of the time, is to tell the person who got jilted to GTFO. — refinery29.com, "What To Think About Before Choosing To Stay With A Cheating Partner," 9 May 2018 Unrestricted free agency does not award consolation prizes to those who get jilted. — Bill Livingston, cleveland.com, "Is LeBron James nearing another end game with Cleveland Cavaliers? -- Bill Livingston (photos)," 21 Apr. 2018 Thomas isn't the only member of the Markle family who feels jilted by not receiving an invitation to the royal wedding. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Meghan Markle's Brother Says She's a 'Phony' for Not Inviting Him to the Royal Wedding," 19 Apr. 2018 But then the Josh McDaniels jilting story happened, and the Colts had to star their coach search again. — Peter King, SI.com, "Wristband 145: Behind The Play That Confused The Patriots and Gave The Eagles The Super Bowl LII Win," 11 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

What felt like a jilt to the losers showed just how much of a hold Amazon exerted on a swath of American cities. — Shayndi Raice, WSJ, "How Amazon Picked HQ2 and Jilted 236 Cities," 14 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jilt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of jilt was in 1673

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More Definitions for jilt

jilt

verb

English Language Learners Definition of jilt

: to end a romantic relationship with (someone) in a sudden and painful way

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