music originating in New Orleans around the beginning of the 20th century and subsequently developing through various increasingly complex styles, generally marked by intricate, propulsive rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, improvisatory, virtuosic solos, melodic freedom, and a harmonic idiom ranging from simple diatonicism through chromaticism to atonality.
a style of dance music, popular especially in the 1920s, arranged for a large band and marked by some of the features of jazz.
dancing or a dance performed to such music, as with violent bodily motions and gestures.
Slang. liveliness; spirit; excitement.
Slang. insincere, exaggerated, or pretentious talk: Don't give me any of that jazz about your great job!
Slang. similar or related but unspecified things, activities, etc.: He goes for fishing and all that jazz.
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of jazz.
verb (used with object)
to play (music) in the manner of jazz.
Informal.
to excite or enliven.
to accelerate.
Slang: Vulgar. to copulate with.
verb (used without object)
to dance to jazz music.
to play or perform jazz music.
Informal. to act or proceed with great energy or liveliness.
Slang: Vulgar. to copulate.
Verb Phrases
jazz up,Informal.
to add liveliness, vigor, or excitement to.
to add ornamentation, color, or extra features to, in order to increase appeal or interest; embellish.
to accelerate.
Origin of jazz
1905–10, Americanism;1915–20 for def. 5; origin uncertain
OTHER WORDS FROM jazz
jazzer,noun
Words nearby jazz
Jayhawker State, Jayne, Jay's Treaty, jayvee, jaywalk, jazz, Jazz Age, jazz band, jazz dance, jazzed, jazzercise
Jazz poured out of the speaker and the man beat out the time with his heels and toes.
The Inhabited|Richard Wilson
Gavroche was killed on the barricades, and it was with his name that Jazz should have been associated.
Since Czanne|Clive Bell
Geordie (after intently watching conductor of Jazz band for some time).
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 156, May 28, 1919.|Various
Offered a drink, she clinks my glass and offers her only English words, "Jazz boy Charlie."
My Wonderful Visit|Charlie Chaplin
I discover that there is an American jazz band in the place.
My Wonderful Visit|Charlie Chaplin
British Dictionary definitions for jazz
jazz
/ (dʒæz) /
noun
a kind of music of African-American origin, characterized by syncopated rhythms, solo and group improvisation, and a variety of harmonic idioms and instrumental techniques. It exists in a number of stylesCompare blues See also bebop, bop 1 (def. 1), Dixieland, free (def. 7), hard bop, harmolodics, mainstream (def. 2), modern jazz, New Orleans jazz, swing (def. 28), trad
(as modifier)a jazz band
(in combination)a jazzman
informalenthusiasm or liveliness
slangrigmarole; paraphernalialegal papers and all that jazz
African-Americanslang, obsoletesexual intercourse
Southern Africanslanga dance
verb
(intr)to play or dance to jazz music
African-Americanslang, obsoleteto have sexual intercourse with (a person)
A form of American music that grew out of African-Americans' musical traditions at the beginning of the twentieth century. Jazz is generally considered a major contribution of the United States to the world of music. It quickly became a form of dance music, incorporating a “big beat” and solos by individual musicians. For many years, all jazz was improvised and taught orally, and even today jazz solos are often improvised. Over the years, the small groups of the original jazz players evolved into the “Big Bands” (led, for example, by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Glenn Miller), and finally into concert ensembles. Other famous jazz musicians include Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, and Ella Fitzgerald.