jab

\dʒab\

/\dʒab\/ noun

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

The verdict

“jab” is an uncommon French word, ranked #70,757 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#70,757
frequency rank, French
3
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Sorte de coup de poing où le boxeur frappe son adversaire rapidement d’une courte distance.

Key facts for jab
PropertyValue
Headwordjab
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\dʒab\
Letters3
Frequency rank#70,757
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “jab” sits in French frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). jab lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for jab is 3 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \dʒab\. Corpus data places it at rank #70,757 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for jab in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable French rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct French form is jab, spelled J-A-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    Sorte de coup de poing où le boxeur frappe son adversaire rapidement d’une courte distance.
  2. 2
    Argument massue.

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 French corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "jab"?
"jab" is spelled J-A-B. The IPA pronunciation is \dʒab\.
What does "jab" mean?
As a noun, "jab" means: Sorte de coup de poing où le boxeur frappe son adversaire rapidement d’une courte distance.
How do you pronounce "jab"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "jab" is \dʒab\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "jab" come from?
"jab" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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.

Using “jab”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is J-A-B - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \dʒab\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list