Definition of the word jumbo

The word "jumbo" originally referred to a male African elephant named Jumbo, who lived in the London Zoo in the late 19th century. The word was coined by the zookeeper Charles W Molson, who was looking for a descriptive term for the exceptionally large elephant. Molson's first attempt was "Joombo", but he soon changed it to "Jumbo", a portmanteau of the words "Jupiter", the king of the gods in Roman mythology, and "mumble", a word used by cowboys to describe large oxen. Jumbo became a popular attraction at the zoo, and his popularity led to the idea of using his name to describe anything large and impressive. The word "jumbo" was subsequently used to describe a variety of large objects and animals, from railway cars to circus acts. Today, the word "jumbo" is commonly used to describe oversized versions of everyday items, such as jumbo shrimp or jumbo jets. The word has also been incorporated into popular culture, with Jumbo the elephant appearing in movies, books, and video games. The legacy of Jumbo the elephant continues to live on, reminding us of the coining of a new word and the impact of a single, extraordinary animal on our language and culture.