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Added 9 October 2026

jumbo

/ˈd͡ʒʌmbəʊ/ adjective

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about jumbo at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Especially large or powerful.
a jumbo helping

noun

An especially large or powerful person, animal, or thing.
An elephant.
A platform-mounted machine for drilling rock.

noun

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

Origin

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”).

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

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