Standard Lemma guide

jerry-built

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Built cheaply and shoddily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1832, Liverpool Mercury, ‘...members of the Bluebell Club, the Jerry-Building society, &c...’ (via https://theprioryandthecastironshore.wordpress.com/2017/07/06/jerry-builder-origin-of-the-term/)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

of inferior workmanship and materials

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • mean little jerry-built houses

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shoddy

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Unknown; there are many theories. I was led to believe it referred to houses built by German pow’s See jerry (possibly etymologically related).

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 偷工減料建成的 /偷工减料建成的 (tōugōngjiǎnliào jiànchéng de) — built cheaply
  • Chinese Mandarin: 豆腐渣 (dòufuzhā) — built cheaply
  • Czech: fušersky postavený — built cheaply
  • Czech: chatrný — built cheaply
  • Czech: stavěný narychlo — built cheaply
  • Finnish: juosten kustu — built cheaply
  • French: vite fait — built cheaply
  • French: bâclé — built cheaply
  • German: zusammengepfuscht — built cheaply
  • German: stümperhaft gebaut — built cheaply
  • German: schlampig gebaut — built cheaply
  • Polish: zbudowany tandetnie — built cheaply
  • Serbo-Croatian: sklepan — built cheaply