First Known Use: 1776
Dictionary
jungle
noun, jun·gle often attributive \ˈjəŋ-gəl\
: a tropical forest where plants and trees grow very thickly
: a harsh or dangerous place or situation in which people struggle for survival or success
: a confusing or complex mixture of things
Full Definition of JUNGLE
1
a : an impenetrable thicket or tangled mass of tropical vegetation b : a tract overgrown with thickets or masses of vegetation
2
: a hobo camp
3
a (1) : a confused or disordered mass of objects : jumble (2) : something that baffles or frustrates by its tangled or complex character : maze <the jungle of housing laws — Bernard Taper> b : a place of ruthless struggle for survival <the city is a jungle where no one is safe after dark — Stuart Chase>
4
: electronic dance music that combines elements of techno, reggae, and hip-hop and is marked especially by an extremely fast beat
— jun·gle·like \-gə(l)-ˌlīk\ adjective
— jun·gly \-g(ə-)lē\ adjective
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Origin of JUNGLE
Hindi jaṅgal & Urdu jangal forest, from Sanskrit jaṅgala desert region
Related to JUNGLE
- Synonyms
- agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, miscellany, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter
JUNGLE Defined for Kids
jungle
noun jun·gle \ˈjəŋ-gəl\
Definition of JUNGLE for Kids
1
: a thick or tangled growth of tropical plants <The explorers hacked at the jungle to clear a path.>
2
: a large area of land usually in a tropical region covered with a thick tangled growth of plants
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