# by jingo

> English word · Interjection

## Definitions
1. Used to express determination or surprise.

## Etymology
Uncertain for a long time. Main theories include:
* a minced oath of "by Jesus"; compare crikey, zounds, egads, etc.
* a corruption ultimately of "by St. Gingoulph", in reference to Saint Gangulphus of Burgundy.
* a borrowing from Basque Jainkoa (“god”); compare by Jove. Basque sailors ― a common famous occupation for their people, who often swore by their term for God ― travelled far through the seas for centuries, and often met Englishmen.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/by-jingo