ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jelly

n. · v.
US //ˈdʒɛɫi// UK //dʒˈɛli// jel·ly
  1. 1 sweet dessert (n.)
    A2 Elementary British English Cooking

    a sweet, wobbly food made with fruit juice and gelatin that children often eat.

    a dessert made by boiling gelatin or a plant-based alternative with sugar and flavoring, then allowing it to set into a semi-solid state.

    Example

    The children had red jelly and ice cream at the birthday party.

    Example

    The chef prepared a sophisticated raspberry jelly, carefully balancing the sugar content to ensure the mold held its shape when plated.
  2. 2 fruit spread (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English Cooking

    a smooth, clear jam made from fruit juice, often eaten on bread or toast.

    a clear or translucent fruit preserve made from juice and set with pectin, distinguished from jam by its lack of solid fruit pieces.

    Example

    He spread some grape jelly on his toast before leaving for work.

    Example

    In North America, a classic lunch often consists of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, typically using smooth grape or strawberry preserves.
  3. 3 jellyfish (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Zoology

    a simple way to say 'jellyfish'.

    a colloquial clipping for jellyfish, referring to the gelatinous marine zooplankton.

    Example

    Be careful while swimming; there are lots of jellies in the water today.

    Example

    Marine biologists observed a swarm of jellies drifting with the current, noting the translucent bells of the moon jellyfish species.
  4. 4 savory meat stock (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Cooking

    a cold, salty substance made from meat juices that has turned solid.

    a savory substance, often called aspic, derived from meat or fish stock that has set into a gelatinous texture.

    Example

    The cold pork pie was filled with a salty meat jelly.

    Example

    Traditional recipes for pork pies require a layer of savory jelly to be poured into the crust after baking to fill the air gaps.
    • aspic
  5. 5 to become firm (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to turn into a soft, wobbly solid.

    to convert a liquid into a gelatinous state or to preserve food within such a substance.

    Example

    The sauce will jelly if you leave it in the fridge overnight.

    Example

    The mixture began to jelly as the temperature dropped, eventually reaching the perfect consistency for the fruit mold.
  6. 6 explosives (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal Technical Technical

    a slang name for a type of powerful explosive.

    a colloquial clipping of gelignite, a powerful explosive used in mining and construction.

    Example

    The workers used jelly to clear the rocks for the new tunnel.

    Example

    The demolition crew handled the jelly with extreme caution, ensuring the charges were placed precisely to bring down the old bridge safely.
Etymology 1

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gel- Latin gelū Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin gelō ▲ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Latin -āta Early Medieval Latin gelāta Old French geleebor. Middle English gele English jelly Inherited from Middle English gele. Doublet of gelee.

Etymology 2

Clipping of jealous + -y (informal adjective ending).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family
Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026