jettison

1 of 2

verb

jet·ti·son ˈje-tə-sən

-zən

jettisoned; jettisoning; jettisons

Synonyms of jettison next

transitive verb

: to get rid of as superfluous or encumbering : omit or forgo as part of a plan or as the result of some other decision

must be prepared to jettison many romantic notions—

Christopher Catling

: to drop (cargo) to lighten a ship's load in time of distress

: to drop from an aircraft or spacecraft in flight

jettisonable

ˈje-tə-sə-nə-bəl

-zə-

adjective

jettison

2 of 2

noun

: a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship's load in time of distress

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The Origin of Jettison

Jettison comes from Anglo-French geteson, which means literally "action of throwing" and is related to the Latin verb jactare, meaning "to throw." The noun jettison refers to a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship's load in time of distress, and it is the source of the word jetsam (the name for goods "jettisoned"); the word is often paired with flotsam ("floating wreckage"). These days you don't have to be on a sinking ship to "jettison" something: the verb also means simply "to get rid of."

Examples of jettison in a Sentence

Verb The captain gave orders to jettison the cargo. They jettisoned the fuel and made an emergency landing. We should jettison these old computers and get new ones. They jettisoned plans for a vacation. Noun with his ship rapidly sinking, the captain ordered a last-ditch jettison of much of its cargo

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.

Verb

In his first term, Trump jettisoned traditional norms around presidents walling off their personal interests and instead retained his business holdings — including a Washington, D.C., hotel where foreign leaders booked rooms. —

David Ingram, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024 To begin, however, Arab states must jettison many old ideas. —

Marwan Muasher, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2024

Noun

This means a stainless steel ring that jettisons from the top of the booster, called the hot-staging ring, will fall in a different location in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore from the rocket's launch and landing site. —

Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 10 Sep. 2024 In the second part of the play, published in 1832, Goethe jettisons the orthodox punishments of the canonical accounts and has Faust sweetly ascend to Heaven: in the nineteenth century, the old theology is becoming romantically weightless. —

James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jettison

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English jetteson, from Anglo-French geteson, literally, action of throwing, from Latin jactation-, jactatio, from jactare — more at jet

First Known Use

Verb

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of jettison was in the 15th century

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Style

“Jettison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jettison. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

jettison

verb

jet·ti·son

ˈjet-ə-sən,

-ə-zən

: to throw goods overboard from a ship or aircraft especially to lighten it in distress

: discard entry 1 sense 2

jettison noun

Last Updated: 16 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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jettison

verb

noun

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Synonyms

Examples of jettison in a Sentence

Word History

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Dictionary Entries Near jettison

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Kids Definition