jaded
/ˈdʒeɪdɪd/
adjective
Origin
Middle English
jade — a worn-out or inferior horse
Overview
Meaning Now
- Tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something.
- Worn out or exhausted, as a horse is after hard work.
Literal older meaning
worn out or fatigued (as a horse)
Language path
Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
jaded
Earliest period
late 16th century
Journey
The term is derived from 'jade,' a word of uncertain origin appearing in Middle English to describe an old, broken-down horse. By the 16th century, 'jaded' meant 'worked to exhaustion.' The modern psychological sense, implying an indifference born of satiety or excess, emerged later.
Evolution
- 14th century Middle English
jade
“a worn-out horse”
Etymology uncertain, perhaps related to Old Northern French 'jade'.
- 16th century English
jaded
“exhausted or spiritless”
Originally applied specifically to horses.
- 18th century English
jaded
“mentally or emotionally exhausted”
Shift from physical fatigue to figurative/emotional boredom.
Connections
Word parts
jade
root
worn-out horse
-ed
suffix
past participle/adjectival marker
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Related to jaded
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.