ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jody

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈdʒoʊdi// jody Slang

n. a person who starts a relationship with a soldier's partner while the soldier is away on duty. It is a common character in military jokes and songs about unfaithful partners.

n. a person, typically a civilian male, who initiates a romantic or sexual relationship with the spouse or partner of a service member deployed overseas. Often personified in military cadences and folklore as a recurring antagonist.


SIMPLE

The soldiers sang a cadence about Jody stealing their girlfriends.

CONTEXTUAL

During long deployments, rumors of a Jody back home can severely damage a unit's morale and trust.

COMPLEX

The figure of Jody serves as a collective psychological projection for the anxieties soldiers feel regarding domestic stability and the fidelity of their partners during extended periods of separation.

Etymology 1

Variant of Judy, diminutive of Judith, q.v.

Etymology 2

From a blend of Jo or Joe with Jody or Judy. Doublet of Ivanka, Jan, Janelle, Janet, Janey, Janine, Jeanette, Jeanie, Jeannette, Jeannine, Jen, Jenna, Jenny, Jessie, Jo, Juanita, Shanae, Sinead, and Vanna in relation to most derivations of Jo as a female name.

Usage

Often used as a proper noun or personification in military slang; frequently appears in 'Jody calls' or marching cadences.

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