# job

> English word · Noun · IPA /dʒɒb/ · frequency rank #296

## Definitions
1. A task.
2. An economic role for which a person is paid.
3. Plastic surgery.
4. A sex act.
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. A robbery or heist.
8. Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately.
9. A thing or whatsit (often used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one cannot recall).
10. The police as a profession, act of policing, or an individual police officer.
11. A penis.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **Jr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jr)
- **Ju** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-ju)
- **JV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jv)
- **JW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jw)
- **Joe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-joe)
- **joy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-joy)
- **Jon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jon)
- **jun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jun)
- **jog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jog)
- **jug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jug)
- **jus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jus)
- **Joo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-joo)
- **jot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jot)
- **Joh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-joh)
- **jor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jor)
- **john** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-john)
- **join** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-join)
- **jobs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-jobs)
- **joke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-joke)
- **Josh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/job-vs-josh)

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