Jive gibes that jibe

I recently came across a misuse (or misspelling) of the word gibe. Because the initial sound is the g that is the same as a j it makes sense that the spelling would be confused. But a more confused set of words I have yet to come across. Let’s go back to the beginning (in English) to see if we can sort out these differences.

The word jibe is the first word to make its appearance in English. It has several meanings. In its noun form jibe came in the 1560s from middle French word giber that meant “to handle roughly”. It may have been an alteration of the French word gaber that meant “to mock”, a meaning that adds confusion.


The verb form arrived in 1813, and while its etymology is uncertain, there are several possibilities, the most likely being a nautical term referring to shifting a sail or boom to be more in agreement with the wind. That meaning is still used today, and a jib is still the name of a particular triangular sail. So the meaning on land is to be in harmony or agreement.

In interesting contribution to this very confusing combination of words, the Oxford English Dictionary, THE authoritative source in English (bow your head), suggests that the etymology is a phonetic alteration of chime in its use “to chime in, or be in harmony with”. Perhaps that makes sense with an English accent, but it doesn’t with an American one unless you have a stuffed up nose.

Gibe is the spelling of the word that now refers to mocking or scoffing or jeering. But it can also be spelled gybe or jibe. Etymonline.com makes no distinction between jibe and gibe except in the noun and verb sense. But dictionaries do, and so does the Encyclopedia Brittanica, which for a few more days is offering free online access since they announced they will no longer offer a printed version (a moment of silence for its demise, please).

The Encyclopedia Brittanica (EB ) suggests that jibe may have been a modification of the Dutch word gijben and agrees on the 1813 source for the verb form. It agrees with the middle French source for gibe, but gives the date more specifically as 1567.

That leaves the word jive. American in original usage, it appeared first in 1928 and came to common usage from the distinctly American musical idiom jazz. According to etymonline.com it may have come from the African Wolof word(s) jev or jeu, “talk about someone absent, especially in a disparaging manner.”

Jive originally referred to a certain style of swing music, but its meaning has broadened since then. Etymonline attaches the meaning by 1938 of “New York City African-American slang.” According to the EB, it has come to also mean “the jargon of hipsters” and “a special jargon of difficult or slang terms”, as in “jive talkin’” (the 1975 Bee Gees hit); its use may now still indicate being “hip” but being hip is passé. Today’s hip is phat (I think: I've consulted my children for confirmation/correction.)

Jive can still refer to a particular style of jazz, or to deceptive, exaggerated, or meaningless talk, or even the jitterbug. According to etymonline.com its adjectival form came in 1964 to have, and they quote the OED, a “fluid meaning and application.” By 1969 it came to mean “not acting right”, and its meaning and usage continues to be fluid.

So, jibe = agree, gibe = scoff or taunt, and jive = hip. Alternative spellings for jibe are gybe and gibe. But jibe can also have nautical meaning, and jive can mean any number of things. Just make sure your jive jibe gibes with these meanings.