jane
English meaning: Jane
Definition
A silver Genovese coin, first used in England in the 14th century.
Example
“In the records, the unidentified woman was listed only as Jane Doe.”
Another example: “The medieval merchant paid the bill in janes, a coin of Genoa.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Chiefly a common female given name (Jane Austen, Jane Doe); the historical 'silver Genovese coin' sense is obsolete and antiquarian. In modern use 'plain Jane' and 'Jane Doe' are fixed phrases. Capitalised as a name.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From the city of Genoa (Old French Janne), whose silver coins circulated in 14th-century England.
Related Words
- austen
- fonda
- eyre
- doe
- tarzan
- seymour
- lynch
- prejudice
- jacobs
- adventures
Common Collocations
- plain jane
- jane doe
- calamity jane
- g.i. jane
- jane and john
Word Forms
jane (n); janes
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B