Jerry-Built
/ˈdʒɛr.i ˌbɪlt/noun
Built cheaply, hastily, or carelessly.
Did you know?The exact origin of jerry in jerry-built is uncertain, but by the mid-19th century it was already used in British English for something flimsy or inferior, giving the phrase its sting.
Etymological Timeline
Mid-19th Century
English
jerry-built
“Built cheaply or badly, especially a house or structure.”
Mid-19th Century
English
jerry
“A slang term for something poor, weak, or shoddy.”
Uncertain
English
Jerry
“A name or nickname that may have contributed to the slang sense, though the origin is disputed.”
Earlier 19th Century
English
jerry
“Appears in British slang with senses of flimsy or inferior quality.”
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