Origin Of The Word Jazz - Web the word “jazz” did not appear in its modern form right away. (n.) by 1912, american english, first attested in baseball slang; Web “jazz” seems to have originated among white americans, and the earliest printed uses are in california baseball writing, where it means “lively, energetic.” (the word still carries this meaning, as in “let’s jazz this up!”) Perhaps ultimately from slang jasm (1860) energy, vitality, spirit, perhaps especially in a woman. This is perhaps from earlier gism in the same sense (1842). Initially, it was spelled as “jass” or “jasz,” which adds an air of mystery to its etymology. As a type of music, attested by 1915. Some suggest that “jass” was used as slang in new orleans brothels to describe music with a lively, syncopated rhythm.
(n.) by 1912, american english, first attested in baseball slang; Perhaps ultimately from slang jasm (1860) energy, vitality, spirit, perhaps especially in a woman. Web “jazz” seems to have originated among white americans, and the earliest printed uses are in california baseball writing, where it means “lively, energetic.” (the word still carries this meaning, as in “let’s jazz this up!”) Web the word “jazz” did not appear in its modern form right away. As a type of music, attested by 1915. Initially, it was spelled as “jass” or “jasz,” which adds an air of mystery to its etymology. This is perhaps from earlier gism in the same sense (1842). Some suggest that “jass” was used as slang in new orleans brothels to describe music with a lively, syncopated rhythm.