jejune
adjective
Naive, simplistic, and superficial; lacking interest or substance; dull and unimaginative. Also historically meant lacking nourishment.
Etymology
From Latin "jejunus" (fasting, hungry, barren). The meaning shifted from physical emptiness to intellectual emptiness, suggesting ideas that fail to nourish the mind.
Examples in Use
- 1.
"The critic dismissed the film as jejune and predictable."
- 2.
"His jejune understanding of economics led to poor policy recommendations."
- 3.
"What seemed profound at twenty now struck her as jejune."
Related Vocabulary
Synonyms
Related Words
Fun Fact
The small intestine's middle section is called the "jejunum" from the same Latin root—early anatomists found it "empty" during dissections because its contents move through quickly.
Word Game Tips
Letters: 6 letters (J, E, J, U, N, E)
Scrabble Value: 20 points
Tip: The letter pattern in "JEJUNE" appears in many related words.
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