HOW TO PRONOUNCE
john
/ˈd͡ʒɑn/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does john mean?
noun
- (slang) A prostitute's client.
- (slang) A device or place for urination and defecation: now usually a toilet or lavatory, but also (dated) a chamber pot or outhouse.
- (slang) A Western man traveling in East Asia.
More meanings (11)
noun
- A male mule.
- (slang) A new recruit at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
- An excuse, chiefly made by a losing player for their poor performance.
- (archaic, slang) Alternative letter-case form of john (“a toilet, lavatory, outhouse, chamber pot”).
proper noun
- A male given name originating from the Bible [in turn from Hebrew]; very popular since the Middle Ages.
- (informal) Used generically for a man whose actual name may not be known.
- (informal) Used frequently to form an idea personified, as in John Bull, John Barleycorn (see derivations below).
- Persons of the Christian Bible: John the Baptist; and names possibly referring to one, two or three persons, frequently called "Saint": John the Apostle, John the Evangelist and John of Patmos (also called John the Divine or John the Theologian).
- The Gospel of St John, a book of the New Testament of the Bible. Traditionally the fourth of the four gospels.
- One of the books in the New Testament of the Bible, the epistles of John (1 John, 2 John and 3 John).
- A surname originating as a patronymic.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈd͡ʒɑn/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
Squires, pages, and yeomen in rich liveries, waited around this place of honour, which was designed for Prince John and his attendants.
“Observe, too,” added John Sullivan, “that we have received no intelligence from him, though there are telegraphic lines all along his route.”
More book examples (3)
And John would touch his forelock with a solemn way he had that made me think he was the best of men.
I would not now recommend the addition of “John Roach’s quick,” as I believe equally good results can be produced without it.
They had brought the mites to us because they thought "John Grier" sounded solid and respectable, and not like a public institution.