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Added 9 October 2026

ajar

/əˈd͡ʒɑː/ adjective

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ajar at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Slightly open.
the door was ajar

Origin

From Middle English ajar, on char (“on [the] turn”), from on (“on”) + char (“turn, occasion”), from Old English ċierr, cyrr (“turn”), from ċierran (“to turn, convert”), equivalent to a- + char. Akin to Scots char, chare (“to turn, cause to turn”), Dutch akerre, kier (“ajar”), German kehren (“to turn”). See char.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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