cookie jar: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1informal, general
Quick answer
What does “cookie jar” mean?
A container, typically ceramic or glass, used for storing biscuits or cookies.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A container, typically ceramic or glass, used for storing biscuits or cookies.
A source of something desirable or tempting; also used metaphorically to refer to a fund or reserve of money, especially one that is used for unauthorized personal expenses (e.g., 'dipping into the cookie jar').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word 'cookie' is American; the British equivalent is 'biscuit'. Therefore, 'biscuit tin' is the more common British term for the physical object. The metaphorical phrase 'cookie jar' (e.g., 'cookie-jar accounting') is understood but less common in the UK.
Connotations
In American English, 'cookie jar' has strong cultural connotations of childhood, home, and temptation. In British English, 'biscuit tin' carries similar domestic connotations.
Frequency
High frequency in American English; low-to-medium frequency in British English, where 'biscuit tin' is preferred for the literal object.
Grammar
How to Use “cookie jar” in a Sentence
[Subject] dipped into the cookie jar.The [noun] was a cookie jar for [purpose].Keep your hands out of the cookie jar.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cookie jar” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The treasurer was accused of cookie-jarring the club's funds.
American English
- The manager was caught cookie-jarring from the petty cash.
adjective
British English
- It was a classic cookie-jar scandal.
- They used cookie-jar reserves.
American English
- The SEC investigated the firm's cookie-jar accounting practices.
- A cookie-jar mentality.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphor for a slush fund or unauthorized reserve used to smooth earnings ('cookie-jar accounting').
Academic
Rare; may appear in cultural studies or literary analysis of domesticity.
Everyday
Common for referring to a kitchen container for biscuits/cookies or a source of treats/temptation.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cookie jar”
- Using 'cookie jar' in formal UK contexts where 'biscuit tin' is more appropriate.
- Using the metaphor 'cookie jar' to refer to any savings, without the connotation of impropriety or temptation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is written as two separate words: 'cookie jar'. The hyphenated form 'cookie-jar' is used only when it functions as a modifier (e.g., 'cookie-jar accounting').
Yes, you will be understood, especially due to American media influence. However, 'biscuit tin' or 'biscuit barrel' is the more natural term for the physical object in British English.
It's a financial metaphor describing the unethical practice of hiding excess profits in good years (putting them in the 'jar') to use in bad years (taking them out), thereby artificially smoothing reported earnings.
A 'piggy bank' is specifically for saving coins/money. A 'cookie jar' is for food (cookies/biscuits). Metaphorically, a 'piggy bank' is for legitimate savings, while a 'cookie jar' often implies a tempting, sometimes illicit, source.
A container, typically ceramic or glass, used for storing biscuits or cookies.
Cookie jar is usually informal, general in register.
Cookie jar: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkʊki ˌdʒɑː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʊki ˌdʒɑːr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “caught with your hand in the cookie jar”
- “dip into the cookie jar”
- “cookie-jar accounting”
- “cookie-jar reserve”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a JAR full of COOKIES. The double 'O's in 'cookie' look like two round cookies.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SOURCE OF DESIRE IS A CONTAINER OF SWEETS (e.g., 'He's always dipping into the project's cookie jar.').
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common British English equivalent for the physical 'cookie jar'?