Words for Nerds - Jejune
Jejune is one of those words I always think I know when I hear it, but never quite get it exactly. So what does jejune mean?
A. Happy; buoyant in spirit.
B. Childish, lacking significance, and uninteresting.
C. Fashionable, trendy.
D. Pertaining to or characteristic of the spring season.
The fact is, jejune means … childish, lacking significance, and uninteresting. Jejune comes in handy because it connotes all three characteristics. Insipid has a similar meaning, but doesn’t convey the sense of immaturity. Sophomoric might serve, but it lacks the sense of being uninteresting. Then again, prosaic is a tempting option, but that splendid word fails to convey the sense of lacking significance.
Jejune really gives you three insults for the price of one. On the next occasion you wish to brand a thing insipid, sophomoric, and prosaic, simply call it jejune and kill three birds with one stone. You’ll save you and your interlocutor a great deal of time.
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