/ˈd͡ʒʌmbəʊ/, /ˈd͡ʒʌmboʊ/
OriginFrom 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”).
- not-comparableEspecially large or powerful.
“a jumbo helping”
“At Bucyrus, Ohio, M. C. Coulter this season has demonstrated that he can grow a nice crop of the jumbo variety of peanuts.”
“Of the receipts of unshelled peanuts only a few extras are now being bought, the remainder being divided rather equally between jumbo and fancy grades.”
- countable, uncountableAn especially large or powerful person, animal, or thing.
“I purchased a vine, and was rather impressed with the appearance of the grape; so I took the time to go down to see the vine, the Jumbo [a cultivar of muscadine, Vitis rotundifolia], and I saw a very ”
“It is important to realise that slabbing may occur at any stage of the processing of a jumbo [large roll of paper from which smaller rolls are cut]. Typically slabbing becomes necessary when the reel ”
- India, Kenya, countable, uncountableAn elephant.
- countable, uncountableA platform-mounted machine for drilling rock.
“In all three tunnels the full face was drilled at once. […] [T]he mucking machine was immediately converted into a drilling jumbo upon completion of the mucking operation. Both jumbos carried all the ”
“The curtailment of drilling because of a disruption of the loading cycle is far less likely with the jumbo than with post and tripod drilling, because from three to five working places are available t”
- British, English, countable, uncountableA large airplane, such as those used for intercontinental travel.
“Take a jumbo ’cross the water (Like to see America)”
- Pennsylvania, Western, countable, uncountableSynonym of bologna (“type of meat”).
- countable, uncountableA wide roll of machine-trimmed paper, ready to be cut into smaller widths.
“In the unwind area, one system loads and unloads the unwind stand almost simultaneously. The jumbo is stored ahead of the unwind on level rails.”
- abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, historicalEllipsis of mumbo jumbo (“a deity or other supernatural being worshipped by certain West African peoples; an idol representing such a being”).
“Returning to the villa, we were greeted by a party which frightened the boys. It was the Moco Jumbo and his suite. The Jumbo was on stilts, with a head, mounted on the actor's head, which was conceale”
“[A]nother Krooman came hurrying up, holding out a wooden image with a few bits of grass round its neck, and exclaiming, "Wurra! Wurra! Jumbo hang in fetische-house, sure he make much finish die." […] ”
- abbreviation, acronym, alt-ofAcronym of Jupiter-mass binary object
- A nickname for one or that of a large size
- A nickname for one or that of a small size
- A traditional animal name for an elephant
Formsjumbos(plural) · JuMBOs(plural)