Etymograph

English

juke

Juke comes from Gullah juke.

  1. Gullahmodernjuke
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1941same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Gullahmodernjuke
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1941same form

Earliest quotation: 1941, Arthur K. Moore, Jouk: “‘Let's jouk’ is an invitation to dance, but ‘Let's…”

Another origin of juke

  1. Jamaican Creolemodernjook‘pierce, prick, poke, prod, stick (poke)’
  2. Englishtodayjuke

Another origin of juke

  1. Scotsc. 1450–presentdeuk‘duck’uncertain
  2. Scots, derivedc. 1450–presentjouk‘to duck’uncertain
  3. Englishtodayjuke

Perhaps from Scots jouk, jowk, juke (‘to elude, cheat; duck, skulk; bob, dodge’), palatalized variants of Scots deuk, douk, dowk (‘to duck’).

Today it means

noun A roadside cafe or bar, especially one with dancing and sometimes prostitution.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Gullah juke / juke