Jeck

See also: jeck

German

Etymology

Nominalisation of the adjective jeck (“crazy”). The word is the same as Geck (“dandy”) and is a Central Franconian (Ripuarian) form of it. Cognate to Dutch gek (“crazy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɛk/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Jeck m (genitive Jecks, plural Jecken)

1. (regional) carnival reveler (participant in a carnival event or party)

   Die Jecken ziehen wieder durch die Straßen.

   Carnival revelers are parading through the streets again.

2. (regional, colloquial, in the Rhineland) madman, fool

   Den Jeck kann doch keiner mehr ernstnehmen.

   That madman can't be taken seriously by anyone anymore.

Usage notes

Sense 1 is now commonly seen in standard usage even beyond the Rhineland. The more original sense 2 remains dialectal.

Synonyms

• Narr

Further reading

• “Jeck” in Duden online