jingo
C2Formal, historical, political commentary.
Definition
Meaning
a person who expresses or promotes aggressive, bellicose patriotism, especially one who advocates the use of military force.
Originally from a political song of the late 19th century, the term now broadly denotes someone with a belligerent, nationalist, and often xenophobic attitude, favoring warlike policies over diplomacy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is almost always pejorative. It implies a stance that is not just patriotic but recklessly aggressive and chauvinistic. It's rarely used in self-description.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated in a British political context (the 'Jingo' faction during the 1878 Russo-Turkish War crisis) and remains more historically resonant in UK political discourse. In the US, it is used but is less tied to a specific historical moment.
Connotations
In both varieties, the connotations are strongly negative, implying ignorant, chest-thumping aggression. In the UK, there is a stronger historical echo of late 19th-century imperialism.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but slightly more likely to be encountered in British historical or political analysis. It is a 'lexical' rather than 'colloquial' word.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Determiner] + jingo + [prepositional phrase] (e.g., the jingos in the press)accuse/label/call + [Object] + a jingoVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “By jingo! (archaic exclamation of surprise or emphasis, origin of the term)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, political science, and international relations texts to describe aggressive nationalist factions.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would be used only in a sophisticated discussion of politics.
Technical
Not a technical term in any field.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A. The verb form is not standard. One 'is jingoistic'.
American English
- N/A. The verb form is not standard. One 'is jingoistic'.
adverb
British English
- N/A. The standard adverb is 'jingoistically'. (Rare)
American English
- N/A. The standard adverb is 'jingoistically'. (Rare)
adjective
British English
- N/A. The standard adjective is 'jingoistic'. Example: His jingoistic rhetoric alarmed the diplomats.
American English
- N/A. The standard adjective is 'jingoistic'. Example: The talk show host's jingoistic rant was widely criticized.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Not applicable for this C2-level word.)
- (Not applicable for this C2-level word.)
- The journalist was accused of being a jingo for his constant calls for military action.
- Some politicians are seen as jingos because they never consider peaceful solutions.
- The prime minister's speech was free of the jingoism that had characterised his predecessors; he was no mere jingo.
- Historical analysis of the period reveals a press dominated by jingos, whipping up public sentiment for war.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a person aggressively banging a JINGling GOng while shouting for war → JINGO.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATION IS A PERSON (with aggressive traits); WAR/AGGRESSION IS NOISE (bluster, rattling).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'джинго' (non-existent). The closest Russian concept is 'шовинист' (chauvinist) or 'ястреб' (hawk). 'Патриот' can be neutral or positive, whereas 'jingo' is always negative.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a positive term (error).
- Confusing it with 'dingo' (the dog).
- Using it as a verb (*to jingo). The verb form is 'to be jingoistic'.
Practice
Quiz
In modern political commentary, what does calling someone a 'jingo' imply?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost exclusively a negative, pejorative term. It criticises someone's patriotism as being mindlessly aggressive and dangerous.
A 'patriot' loves their country, which can be neutral or positive. A 'jingo' is a specific type of patriot whose love for country is expressed through belligerent, warlike, and often xenophobic attitudes. All jingos may consider themselves patriots, but not all patriots are jingos.
It comes from the phrase 'by Jingo!' used in a popular British music-hall song of 1878 that supported military action against Russia. The faction that supported this aggressive policy became known as the 'Jingoes'.
No, the standard verb form does not exist. The related noun is 'jingoism' and the adjective is 'jingoistic'. One 'speaks jingoistically' or 'is accused of jingoism'.