Jape
/dʒeɪp/noun
A joking remark or prank; to make fun of someone.
Did you know?In Middle English, **jape** could mean a joke, a trick, or a sexual encounter, showing how easily play, deception, and taboo blurred in older speech.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*gapōną
“to gape, mock, or chatter (reconstructed root behind later joking and taunting senses)”
Old French
OF
japer
“to yelp, chatter, or bark”
Middle English
ME
japen
“to joke, mock, or play tricks”
Modern English
English
jape
“a joke, prank, or mocking remark”