John Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms john 1 American [jon] / dʒɒn /

noun

Slang.

1. a toilet or bathroom.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter) a fellow; guy.

3. (sometimes initial capital letter) a prostitute's customer.

4. Also called john mule. a male mule, or more properly a gelded mule.

John 2 American [jon] / dʒɒn /

noun

1. the apostle John, believed to be the author of the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the book of Revelation.

2. John the Baptist.

3. John Lackland, 1167?–1216, king of England 1199–1216; signer of the Magna Carta 1215 (son of Henry II of England).

4. Augustus Edwin, 1878–1961, British painter and etcher.

5. Elton Reginald Kenneth Dwight, born 1947, English rock singer, pianist, and songwriter.

6. the fourth Gospel.

7. any of the three Epistles of John: 1, 2, or 3 John.

8. a male given name.

John 1 British / dʒɒn /

noun

1. New Testament

   1. the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, identified with the author of the fourth Gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. Feast day: Dec 27 or Sept 26

   2. the fourth Gospel

   3. any of three epistles (in full The First, Second, and Third Epistles of John )

2. See John the Baptist

3. known as John Lackland. 1167–1216, king of England (1199–1216); son of Henry II. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Richard I, having previously tried to usurp the throne. War with France led to the loss of most of his French possessions. After his refusal to recognize Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury an interdict was imposed on England (1208–14). In 1215 he was compelled by the barons to grant the Magna Carta

4. called the Fearless . 1371–1419, duke of Burgundy (1404–19). His attempt to control the mad king Charles VI and his murder of the king's brother led to civil war: assassinated

5. Augustus ( Edwin ). 1878–1961, British painter, esp of portraits

6. Barry born 1945, Welsh Rugby Union footballer: halfback for Wales (1966–72) and the British Lions (1968–71)

7. Sir Elton ( Hercules ). original name Reginald Dwight. born 1947, British rock pianist, composer, and singer; his hits include "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) and "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997), a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales

8. Gwen , sister of Augustus John. 1876–1939, British painter, working in France: noted esp for her portraits of women

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 john 2 British / dʒɒn /

noun

1. a slang word for lavatory

2. slang a prostitute's client

3. slang short for John Hop

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of john1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English Johan, Iohan, John; generic use of the proper name

Origin of John2

Middle English Johan, John, Jon, from Medieval Latin Jō(h)annēs, from Greek Iōánnēs, from Hebrew Yôkhānān, contracted from Yĕhôkhānān “God has been gracious”; Anna ( def. ), Yahweh ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Follow the mandate of John D. Rockefeller: own nothing, control everything,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Longtime AI chief John Giannandrea has left, and Amar Subramanya—who helped oversee Google’s Gemini chatbot before moving to Microsoft—is joining Apple as vice president of AI.

From The Wall Street Journal

Examining a song’s lyrics shorn of the music can highlight the themes that a songwriter such as Johnny Cash or John Darnielle returns to over time.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Nigerian citizens will be happy with any help that is toward bringing to an end the persistent killings by bandits and terrorists,” said John Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

From The Wall Street Journal

The biggest change is “credibility at scale,” says John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google Threat Intelligence Group.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• latrine
• lavatory
• men's room
• outhouse
• toilet
• urinal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.