joust
/d͡ʒaʊst/noun, verb
joust is spelled J-O-U-S-T: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 54,808th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, joust means “A tilting match: a mock combat between two mounted knights or men-at-arms using lances in the lists or enclosed field” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of joust is jousts.
How many letters and syllables are in joust?
| Letters | 5: J-O-U-S-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 54,808th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
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).
How common is joust?
Joust appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 54,808th 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 joust?
- /d͡ʒaʊst/
- Canada /d͡ʒʌʊst/
- /d͡ʒuːst/
Joust 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-us-joust.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of joust
- jousts plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- just
- jousting participle, present
- jousted participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does joust mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A tilting match: a mock combat between two mounted knights or men-at-arms using lances in the lists or enclosed field.
medieval joust
verb
- 1
To engage in mock combat on horseback, as two knights in the lists; to tilt.
The knights prepared to joust in the tournament.
- 2
To engage in verbal sparring over an important issue. (used of two people, both of whom participate more or less equally)
verbally joust
- 3
slangTo touch penises while engaging in a sex act, especially oral sex.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Joust in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | joute équestre , jouter |
| German | Tjost, Lanzenstechen, Lanzenzweikampf |
| Portuguese | justa |
| Spanish | justa , justar |
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 joust come from?
From Middle English, borrowed from Old French jouster (modern French jouter), from Vulgar Latin *juxtō, *iuxtō, *iuxtāre, from Latin iūxta (“close to”). English since the early 14th century.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).