jeopardy
noun
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Did you know?
We'll start with the answer and you provide the question: A word meaning "danger" that inspired the title of a popular game show. Got it? If you buzzed in "what is jeopardy?" you are correct! Today’s word dates back to at least the 1300s, but its Middle English form can make it hard to spot: it appears in the phrase "in jupartie" with a meaning very much akin to the word's meaning in the modern phrase "in jeopardy"—that is, "in danger." The spellings of what we now render only as jeopardy were formerly myriad. The Oxford English Dictionary reports that between the late 14th and mid-17th centuries the word was spelled in a great variety of ways, among them ieupardyes (the spelling Chaucer used in The Canterbury Tales), iupertie, iupartye, ieoperdis, and juperti. Indeed, like the eponymous quiz show Jeopardy!, today’s word has a long history; we’d wager it has a long future, too.
Examples of jeopardy in a Sentence
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
An interesting conversation between Nilay Patel and Jon Gruber touches on many issues, challenges, and legal jeopardy that Apple faces in 2025.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
People with valid documentation—including green cards or visas—have been detained and face legal jeopardy.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
The season-long jeopardy faded early on, but within individual matches, the drama has endured.
—Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for jeopardy
Cite this Entry
“Jeopardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardy. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jeopardy
noun
Legal Definition
jeopardy
noun
Note: Jeopardy attaches, or comes into effect for double jeopardy purposes, when a jury is sworn in or, in a non-jury trial, when the judge begins to hear evidence. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids double jeopardy for the same offense, and this applies whether the first trial ends in acquittal, conviction, or a mistrial. If a mistrial occurs due to a manifest necessity or if a defendant appeals a conviction, however, the rule against double jeopardy does not apply. The issue of manifest necessity is determined by the trial judge and, if necessary, by an appeals court.
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