jigger

/ˈd͡ʒɪɡɚ/

//ˈd͡ʒɪɡɚ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"jigger" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“jigger” is uncommon English (frequency #83,387 among 796 “J” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#83,387
frequency rank, English
796
“J” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A double-ended vessel, generally of stainless steel or other metal, one end of which typically measures 1½ fluid ounces (approx. 44 ml), the other typically 1 fluid ounce (approx. 30 ml).

Corpus desk

Index EN-jigger · jigger · English

jigger · rank #83,387 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #83,387
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 796
  • PHOTO-FINISH Jepson

Nearest frequency peer: Jepson (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “jigger”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “jigger” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for jigger
PropertyValue
Headwordjigger
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈd͡ʒɪɡɚ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#83,387
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “jigger” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).jiggerfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “Jepson” (#83,386), “jirga” (#83,388), “Jenin” (#83,385). Among 796 “J” headwords, “jigger” is #83,387. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

jigger is uncommon English at frequency #83,387 among 796 “J” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈd͡ʒɪɡɚ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 24 senses are on record.

jigger doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From jig + -er (agent suffix). Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary suggests a possible link to Old High German gīga (“fiddle”). The correct English form is jigger, spelled J-I-G-G-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A double-ended vessel, generally of stainless steel or other metal, one end of which typically measures 1½ fluid ounces (approx. 44 ml), the other typically 1 fluid ounce (approx. 30 ml).
  2. 2
    A measure of 1½ fluid ounces (approx. 44 ml) of liquor.
  3. 3
    A drink of whiskey.
  4. 4
    The sieve used in sorting or separating ore.
  5. 5
    One who jigs; a miner who sorts or cleans ore by the process of jigging.
  6. 6
    A horizontal lathe used in producing flatware.
  7. 7
    A device used in the dyeing of cloth.
  8. 8
    A pendulum rolling machine for slicking or graining leather.
  9. 9
    A bicycle.
  10. 10
    A golf club used to play low flying shots to the putting green from short distances.
  11. 11
    A warehouse crane.
  12. 12
    A light tackle, consisting of a double and single block and the fall, used for various purposes, as to increase the purchase on a topsail sheet in hauling it home; the watch tackle.
  13. 13
    A jiggermast.
  14. 14
    A small fishing vessel, rigged like a yawl.
  15. 15
    A device used by fishermen to set their nets under the ice of frozen lakes.
  16. 16
    One who dances jigs; an odd-looking person.
  17. 17
    A short board or plank inserted into a tree for a person to stand on while cutting off higher branches.
  18. 18
    A placeholder name for any small mechanical device.
  19. 19
    A railway jigger, a small motorized or human powered vehicle used by railway workers to traverse railway tracks.
  20. 20
    The bridge or rest for the cue in billiards.
  21. 21
    An illicit electric shock device used to urge on a horse during a race.
  22. 22
    A streetcar drawn by a single horse.
  23. 23
    A kind of early electric cash register.
  24. 24
    A total station or its predecessor, a theodolite.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how jigger appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. A good jigger will have a well formed lip that will pour a clean stream into the cocktail shaker or glass.
  2. He also championed the “bartender’s choice” found on many cocktail menus, the use of jiggers to measure out drinks, and even the ubiquitous use of cucumber slices in water glasses.

Etymology

From jig + -er (agent suffix). Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary suggests a possible link to Old High German gīga (“fiddle”).

Synonyms

jolleyjiggermastponythingamajigdoojiggerthingyhandcarspeeder

This word in other languages

dedo(Español)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "jigger"?
"jigger" is spelled J-I-G-G-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈd͡ʒɪɡɚ/.
What does "jigger" mean?
As a noun, "jigger" means: A double-ended vessel, generally of stainless steel or other metal, one end of which typically measures 1½ fluid ounces (approx. 44 ml), the other typically 1 fluid ounce (approx. 30 ml).
How do you pronounce "jigger"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "jigger" is /ˈd͡ʒɪɡɚ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "jigger"?
From jig + -er (agent suffix). Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary suggests a possible link to Old High German gīga (“fiddle”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "jigger", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Jepson#83,386Javert#83,384Kagami#83,396Kazumi#83,400

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list