Jape Definition

Origin of Jape

• From Middle English japen (“to joke, play tricks”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old French japer (“to bark, howl, scream”) (possibly conflated with Old French gaber (“to mock, deride”), see gab), related to Old Provençal japar, jaupar (“to bark, yelp, yap”), probably of Germanic origin, related to Old Saxon galpōn (“to cry loudly, make a noise, brag”) (Low German galpen (“to bark, howl, scream”)), Middle High German gelpfen (“to scream, bark, boast, proclaim”), Old Norse gjálpa (“to yelp”) (Swedish dialectal galpa (“to cry, screech”)). More at yelp, yawp, yap.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English japen probably from Old French japer to yap, chatter, nag of imitative origin

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition