Jerry-Rigged
/ˈdʒɛri ˌrɪɡd/noun
Improvised or assembled in a makeshift, often flimsy or temporary way.
Did you know?The word is often confused with the older nautical term “jury-rigged,” and many dictionaries treat “jerry-rigged” as a later alteration influenced by the insult “jerry” for something cheap or inferior.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
jury
“temporary, makeshift, or acting for the moment”
18th Century
English
jury-rig
“to fit up or repair temporarily, especially a ship's mast or rigging”
19th Century
English
jerry
“slang for something poor, inferior, or shoddy”
19th-20th Century
English
jerry-rigged
“made or repaired in a makeshift, often slapdash way”
Modern English
English
jerry-rigged
“improvised in a temporary or careless manner”
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