# jitterbug

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈd͡ʒɪtə(ɹ)bʌɡ/ · frequency rank #87,424

## Definitions
1. A nervous or jittery person.
2. A jazz musician or aficionado.
3. An uptempo jazz or swing dance which embellishes on the two-step pattern and frequently incorporates acrobatic style swing steps.
4. Synonym of diddley bow (“type of stringed instrument”).

## Etymology
From jitter + bug, after the 1934 Cab Calloway song “Jitter Bug”.

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