adjective, jerk·i·er, jerk·i·est.
- characterized by jerks or sudden starts; spasmodic.
- Slang. silly; foolish; stupid; ridiculous.
noun
- meat, especially beef, that has been cut in strips and preserved by drying in the sun; jerked meat.
adjective jerkier or jerkiest
- characterized by jerks; spasmodic
noun
- another word for jerk 2 (def. 2)
1850, American English, from American Spanish charqui “jerked meat,” from Quechua (Inca) ch’arki “dried flesh.”
“characterized by jerks,” 1858, from jerk (v.1) + -y (2). Related: Jerkily; jerkiness.