Jive
/dʒaɪv/noun
Informal speech or slang; also a style of swing dance and music.
Did you know?The exact origin of *jive* is still debated, but it appears in African American slang by the 1920s and later helped give us *jive talk*, a whole code of style, rhythm, and performance.
Etymological Timeline
1920s
English
jive
“African American slang for deceptive, exaggerated, or showy talk; also associated with lively dancing and music.”
1930s
English
jive
“To talk nonsense or bluff; also a fashionable swing-dance style.”
1940s
English
jive talk
“Stylized slang speech associated with jazz culture and performers.”
Modern English
English
jive
“Informal speech, nonsense, or a swing-dance style.”