Noun

Singular jargon

Plural countable and uncountable; plural jargons

jargon (countable and uncountable; plural jargons)

1. (uncountable) A technical terminology unique to a particular subject.
2. (countable) Language characteristic of a particular group.
3. (uncountable) Speech or language that is incomprehensible or unintelligible; gibberish.

Synonyms

• (language characteristic of a group): argot, cant, slang
• vernacular

Derived terms

• jargonaut

Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, or group. In other words, the term most often covers the language used by people who work in a particular area or who have a common interest. Much like slang, it can develop as a kind of short-hand, to express ideas that are frequently discussed between members of a group, though it can also be developed deliberately using chosen terms. A standard term may be given a more precise or unique usage among practitioners of a field. In many cases this causes a barrier to communication with those not familiar with the language of the field. As an example, the words RAM, Hard Disk Drive, CPU, and Graphics Card are jargon terms related to computing.

In Jewish communities at the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the term "jargon" was occasionally used as a pejorative term for Yiddish. Such usage was current both among assimilationists, who felt that Jews would do better to speak the majority language of the surrounding society, and among Zionists who urged them to speak Hebrew.