Jazz
/dʒæz/
Definitions
2 meaningsA genre of music characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and a strong sense of rhythm, often incorporating elements of blues and other musical styles.
/dʒæz/
A type of music.
The band played a lively piece of jazz.
💡 Simply: Jazz is a cool kind of music that's all about making up the tunes as you go along, with lots of interesting rhythms and sounds, like a musical conversation.
👶 For kids: Jazz is a kind of music that's like a story that the musicians make up as they play!
More Examples
Many people find jazz to be relaxing.
Jazz music originated in the United States.
How It's Used
"She loves to listen to jazz in the evenings."
"The concert featured a variety of jazz performers."
To add excitement or interest to something; to improvise or embellish.
/dʒæz/
To improvise or add excitement.
She decided to jazz up her outfit with a bright scarf.
💡 Simply: To 'jazz' something up is like adding sprinkles to your ice cream - it makes it more fun and exciting! It means making something better or more interesting.
👶 For kids: To jazz something up means to make it more fun or exciting! Like adding glitter to your drawing!
More Examples
The interior designer jazzed up the room with vibrant artwork.
The chef jazzed up the dish with a secret sauce.
How It's Used
"Let's jazz up the presentation with some visuals."
"He jazzed up the recipe with a pinch of spice."
Idioms & expressions
jazz hands
A gesture of clapping with fingers spread wide, often used in theatrical performances.
"The actress finished the song with a flourish of jazz hands."
The origin of the word 'jazz' is uncertain, but it likely emerged in the early 20th century in the United States. Theories include connections to slang terms like 'jasm' (energy) or possibly African American vernacular. It was initially associated with music from New Orleans.
Early uses of 'jazz' often described lively music and energy. It was initially considered slang.
Memory tip
Imagine a saxophone improvising wildly – that's jazz!
Word Origin
"Possibly related to concepts of energy, excitement, and a 'pep'"