jumbo

noun

jum·​bo ˈjəm-(ˌ)bō How to pronounce jumbo (audio)
plural jumbos
Synonyms of jumbonext
: a very large specimen of its kind
jumbo adjective

Examples of jumbo in a Sentence

the winner in the contest for biggest pumpkin was a jumbo that weighed in at over a thousand pounds
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mayor Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin should open City Hall and other municipal buildings throughout New York City when the games are scheduled and set up jumbo screens in buildings. Norman Siegel, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026 Use high-quality, fresh jumbo lump crabmeat and make sure to pick out any shell pieces with your fingers. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026 The new jumbo burgers were flame-broiled through an innovation the company had stumbled into by necessity. Steve Patterson, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026 This isn’t subjective mumbo-jumbo. Sara Payan, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jumbo

Word History

Etymology

Jumbo, a huge elephant exhibited by P. T. Barnum

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jumbo was in 1883

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jumbo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jumbo. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

jumbo

noun
jum·​bo ˈjəm-bō How to pronounce jumbo (audio)
plural jumbos
: something very large of its kind
jumbo adjective
Etymology

from Jumbo, name of a huge elephant shown by circus owner P. T. Barnum

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