Word of the Day - 10/16/25
jactation
/dʒæk'teɪʃən/(n.): the act of boasting or bragging
His constant jactation about his achievements grew tiresome to everyone present.
(n.): (pathology) extremely restless tossing and twitching usually by a person with a severe illness
The patient's severe jactation worried the medical staff, indicating a critical turn in her illness.
Word Origin
The word 'jactation' originates from the Late Latin word 'jactationem', which meant "a throwing, a tossing, a bragging." This noun of action is derived from the past participle stem of the Latin verb 'jactare', meaning "to throw, toss about; to brandish; to boast, brag, vaunt." 'Jactare' itself is a frequentative of the Latin verb 'jacere', meaning "to throw." The word can be broken down into 'jactare' (to throw, boast) and the suffix '-ation' (forming nouns of action).
Many English words derive from the same Latin root 'jacere' or its frequentative 'jactare'. Examples include 'eject' (to throw out), 'inject' (to throw in), 'project' (to throw forward), 'reject' (to throw back), 'object' (to throw against), 'subject' (to throw under), and 'adjacent' (lying near).