job
/dʒɑb/noun, verb
job is spelled J-O-B: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 316 times per million words in written English, the 298th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, job means “A task” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of job is jobs.
How many letters and syllables are in job?
| Letters | 3: J-O-B |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 316 times per million words; the 298th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is job?
Job appears 316 times per million words in written English, the 298th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce job?
- UK /dʒɒb/
- US /dʒɑb/
Job has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-uk-job.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-job.wav, En-us-job.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with job?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as job from its last stressed vowel (/ɑb/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: obj.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of job
- jobs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- j*b
- jobbing participle, present
- jobbed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does job mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A task.
I've got a job for you: could you wash the dishes?
- 2
An economic role for which a person is paid.
That surgeon has a great job.
- 3
Plastic surgery.
He had a nose job.
- 4
A sex act.
hand job
- 5
A task, or series of tasks, carried out in batch mode (especially on a mainframe computer).
- 6
A public transaction done for private profit; something performed ostensibly as a part of official duty, but really for private gain; a corrupt official business.
- 7
informalA robbery or heist.
a bank job
- 8
Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.
- 9
obsoleteA sudden thrust or stab; a jab or punch.
verb
- 1
To do odd jobs or occasional work for hire.
- 2
To work as a jobber.
- 3
slangTo take the loss, usually in a demeaning or submissive manner.
- 4
To buy and sell for profit, as securities; to speculate in.
- 5
To subcontract a project or delivery in small portions to a number of contractors.
We wanted to sell a turnkey plant, but they jobbed out the contract to small firms.
- 6
To seek private gain under pretence of public service; to turn public matters to private advantage.
- 7
To hire or let in periods of service.
to job a carriage
- 8
archaicTo peck (of a bird); (more generally) to poke or prod (at, into).
- 9
To pierce or poke (someone or something), typically with a sharp or pointed object; to stab.
- 10
AustraliaTo hit (someone) with a quick, sharp punch; to jab.
noun
- 1
A person who shows remarkable patience, especially in the face of great misfortune.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Job in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | tâche, travail, boulot , emploi, métier |
| German | Aufgabe, Auftrag , Arbeit, Job, Beruf, Stelle |
| Portuguese | tarefa, trabalho, serviço , emprego , plástica , empreitar |
| Spanish | tarea, trabajo, encargo , empleo, brete |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does job come from?
From the phrase jobbe of work (“piece of work”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a variant of Middle English gobbe (“mass, lump”); or perhaps related to Middle English jobben (“to jab, thrust, peck”), or Middle English choppe (“piece, bargain”). More at gob, jab, chop.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).