# jerk

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈd͡ʒɜːk/ · frequency rank #7,148

## Definitions
1. A sudden, often uncontrolled movement, especially of the human body.
2. A quick pull on something.
3. A person with unlikable or obnoxious qualities and behavior, typically mean, self-centered, or disagreeable.
4. A stupid person; an idiot or fool.
5. A lift in which the weight is taken with a quick motion from shoulder height to a position above the head with arms fully extended and held there for a brief time.
6. Masturbation.
7. Masturbation.
8. A dance, popular in Western culture in the 1960s, in which the head and upper body is thrown forwards regularly to the beat of the music.
9. The rate of change in acceleration with respect to time.
10. Ellipsis of soda jerk.

## Etymology
Probably from Middle English yerk (“sudden motion”) and Middle English yerkid (“tightly pulled”), from Old English ġearc (“ready, active, quick”) and Old English ġearcian (“to prepare, make ready, procure, furnish, supply”). Cognate with Scots yerk (“to jerk”). Related also to English yare (“ready”).

## Easily confused with
- **Jr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jr)
- **JK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jk)
- **jet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jet)
- **Jew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jew)
- **JFK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jfk)
- **jor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jor)
- **jury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jury)
- **Jews** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jews)
- **jets** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jets)
- **junk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-junk)
- **Jess** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jess)
- **jock** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jock)
- **jest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jest)
- **Jura** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jura)
- **Jerry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jerry)
- **jerky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jerky)
- **Jewry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jerk-vs-jewry)
- **jar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jar-vs-jerk)
- **Jen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jen-vs-jerk)
- **Jeb** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jeb-vs-jerk)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ejrk`, `jekr`, `jerkk`, `jerrk`, `jjerk`, `jrek`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/jerk