ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jessie

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈdʒɛsi// jessie Archaic Informal

n. a person who is weak or easily scared. It is a casual way to tease someone for not being brave.

n. a weak, cowardly, or overly sensitive person. Primarily used in British and Australian English; informal and mildly derogatory in register.


SIMPLE

Don't be such a jessie, just jump in the water.

CONTEXTUAL

His friends called him a jessie because he refused to go on the fastest roller coaster at the park.

Etymology 1

From Jess + -ie.

Etymology 2

A hypochoristic form of Jane, Jean, etc., possibly under the influence of lassie or -ess and -ie. Doublet of Ivanka, Jan, Janelle, Janet, Janey, Janine, Jeanette, Jeanie, Jeannette, Jeannine, Jen, Jenna, Jenny, Jo, Jody, Juanita, Shanae, Sinead, and Vanna.

Etymology 3

From Jess or Jesse + -ie, from Ancient Greek Ἰεσσαί (Iessaí), from Hebrew יִשַׁי (Yishai).

Usage

Commonly used in the phrase 'be a jessie' or 'such a jessie'.

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