The noun is derived from Late Middle English gete, jette, jetti (“projecting upper storey of a building, overhang; breakwater, pier, jetty”), from Anglo-Norman geté, getee, getté, and Middle French geté, getee, jeté (“projecting upper storey of a building; breakwater, pier”) (modern French jetée), a noun use of the past participle of geter, jeter, from Old French geter, jeter (“to throw”) from Late Latin iectāre, the present active infinitive of iectō (“to throw”), probably from Latin iactō (“to cast, hurl, throw”), from iaciō (“to cast, hurl, throw”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh₁- (“to throw”)) + -tō (frequentative suffix). Compare jet (“(obsolete) protruding part”), jutty. The verb is derived from the noun.
1
Architecture A part of a building that jets or projects beyond the rest; specifically, an upper storey which overhangs the part of the building below.
Spérto, a porch, a portall, a baie vvindovv, or out butting, or iettie of a houſe that ietties out farther than anie other part of the houſe, a iettie or butte.1598, John Florio, “Spérto”, in A Worlde of Words, or Most Copious, and Exact Dictionarie in Italian and English, […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield for Edw[ard] Blount, →OCLC, page 392, column 1:
Moſt prepoſtrous therefore and improper is our frequent aſſigning ſuch vveak ſupporters to ſuch monſtrous jetties and exceſſive Superſtructures as vve many times find under Balconies, Bay-VVindovvs and long Galleries, […]1664, John Evelyn, “An Account of Architects & Architecture, together with an Historical, and Etymological Explanation of Certain Tearms Particularly Affected by Architects”, in Roland Freart [i.e., Roland Fréart de Chambray], translated by John Evelyn, A Parallel of the Antient Architecture with the Modern, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Roycroft, for John Place, […], →OCLC, part, page 137:
2
Broadly A structure of stone or wood which extends into a river or sea to protect a bank, beach, harbour, etc., from currents or tides; a breakwater.
[I]t appeareth that all the auncient Townes and Citties which ſtand vppon the Riuers of Rhyne and Danowe, towardes Fraunce and Italy, did ſerue rather for a Banke or Iettie againſt the ouerflowing of the Germanes, than for Fortreſſes to aſſayle them withall.1587, Philip of Mornay [i.e., Philippe de Mornay], “When the World had His Beginning”, in Philip Sidney, Arthur Golding, transl., A Woorke Concerning the Trewnesse of the Christian Religion, […], London: […] [John Charlewood and] George Robinson for Thomas Cadman, […], →OCLC, page 118:
Near the River VVelland, that runs thro the Tovvn of Spalding in Lincolnſhire, at the depth of above 8 or 10 foot, there vvere found Jettys, as they call them, to keep up the old Rivers Bank, and the head of a Tunnel that emptied the Land-vvater into the old River; […]1702 May–June, [Ralph] Thoresby, quoting [anonymous], “V. Part of a Letter from Mr Thoresby, F.R.S. to the Publisher, Giving a Further Account of the Same [the finding of Roman coins in Lincolnshire].”, in Philosophical Transactions. Giving Some Account of the Present Undertakings, Studies and Labours of the Ingenious, in Many Considerable Parts of the World, volume XXIII, number 279, London: […] S[amuel] Smith and B[enjamin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], published 1704, →JSTOR, →OCLC, page 1158:
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[I]nſtead of demolition, they found conſtruction; for the French vvere then at vvork on the repair of the jettees. On the remonſtrances of General [Henry Seymour] Convvay, ſome parts of theſe jettees were immediately deſtroyed.1769, [Edmund Burke], Observations on a Late State of the Nation, London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 86:
3
Broadly A dock or wharf extending into a river from a bank, or into a sea from a shore, for boats to land or moor at; a pier.
There are excellent jetties for landing by boat at the Marine Hotel, and the Vine Inn; […]1830, Philo Vectis [pseudonym], “The Cowes Visitors’ Companion”, in The Isle of Wight Tourist, and Companion at Cowes, Cowes, Isle of Wight: R. Moir, […], →OCLC, page 49:
The boathouse was a stone one, with a narrow quay along each wall inside, and a small jetty sticking out beyond it into the lake.1930 July 21, Arthur Ransome, “Making Ready”, in Swallows & Amazons, London: Jonathan Cape, […], published 1953, →OCLC, page 23:
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The wooden jetty on the East Pier had become worm-eaten and was demolished, but the Admiralty lent an old hulk to serve as a rough-and-ready packet facility.1960 May 23, K. A. Murray, “Carlisle Pier, Dun Laoghaire”, in Railway Magazine, page 302:
4
Broadly A natural piece of land projecting into a body of water; a peninsula, a promontory.
5
Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciencesBroadly In full air jetty: synonym of jet bridge (“an elevated, usually enclosed, corridor connecting an airport to an aeroplane for embarking and disembarking crew and passengers”).
6
Broadly, Obsolete Synonym of bulwark (“a defensive rampart or wall”).
The noun is derived from Late Middle English gete, jette, jetti (“projecting upper storey of a building, overhang; breakwater, pier, jetty”), from Anglo-Norman geté, getee, getté, and Middle French geté, getee, jeté (“projecting upper storey of a building; breakwater, pier”) (modern French jetée), a noun use of the past participle of geter, jeter, from Old French geter, jeter (“to throw”) from Late Latin iectāre, the present active infinitive of iectō (“to throw”), probably from Latin iactō (“to cast, hurl, throw”), from iaciō (“to cast, hurl, throw”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh₁- (“to throw”)) + -tō (frequentative suffix). Compare jet (“(obsolete) protruding part”), jutty. The verb is derived from the noun.
1
Architecture Sometimes followed by out: to construct (a part of a building) so that it jets or projects beyond the rest.
Adentellare, […] It is properly to ietty out, or indent ſtones or timber of any vnfinished building, that another may the eaſier be ioyned vnto, or that finiſhed.1598, John Florio, “Adentellare”, in A Worlde of Words, or Most Copious, and Exact Dictionarie in Italian and English, […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield for Edw[ard] Blount, →OCLC, page 7, column 2:
2
Broadly To provide (a riverbank, seashore, etc.) with a jetty (“breakwater; dock or wharf”) (noun etymology 1, noun sense 2.1 or etymology 1, noun sense 2.2).
The land is indeed materially injured in many parts, for want of drains; but I think the expence would exceed the profit: they would soon lodge up, and consequently want jettying on the sides.1805, Richard Parkinson, “Section XXVI. Observations on the Soil and Climate. Reasons why Canals, and Improvements in Draining, Will Not Succeed in America. […]”, in A Tour in America, in 1798, 1799, and 1800. […], volume II, London: […] J. Harding, […]; and J[ohn] Murray, […], →OCLC, page 482:
The harbor of Greytown was formely open to vessels of considerable draught, but has almost been closed by sand bars; the surveys show, however, that the expense will be but moderate, by jettying with brush and pile, and finally strengthening of stone, of making an entrance for vessels of 30 feelt draught to an amply protected and safe harbor, […]1889 February 16, “The Nicaragua Ship Canal”, in Scientific American: A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures, volume LX, number 7, New York, N.Y.: Munn & Co., publishers […], →OCLC, page 105, columns 1–2:
3
Architecture Sometimes followed by out or over: of (a part of) a building: to jet or project beyond the rest of the building or other structures.
Spérto, a porch, a portall, a baie vvindovv, or out butting, or iettie of a houſe that ietties out farther than anie other part of the houſe, a iettie or butte.1598, John Florio, “Spérto”, in A Worlde of Words, or Most Copious, and Exact Dictionarie in Italian and English, […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield for Edw[ard] Blount, →OCLC, page 392, column 1:
[A]s he beheld from out of the houſe Gelotiana, the preparation and furniture of the Cirque, ſome fevv from the next open galleries jettying out, called unto him for the ſame.1606, Caius [i.e., Gaius] Suetonius Tranquillus, “The Historie of Caius Cæsar Caligula”, in Philêmon Holland, transl., The Historie of Twelve Cæsars Emperours of Rome. […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes and George Snowdon] for Matthew Lownes, →OCLC, section 18, page 130:
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Three ſides thereof [of Bebel Futuli, the Port of Triumph, a gate of the city of Cairo] are incloſed vvith goodly buildings, hauing galleries of pleaſure vvhich ietty over, ſuſtained vpon pillars.1615, George Sandys, “The Second Booke”, in The Relation of a Iourney Begun An: Dom: 1610. […], London: […] [Richard Field] for W. Barrett, →OCLC, page 120:
4
Broadly To provide a riverbank, seashore, etc., with a jetty (noun etymology 1, noun sense 2.1 or etymology 1, noun sense 2.2).
Etymology From jet (“(obsolete) protruding part, projection”, noun) or jet (“to jut, project, protrude”, verb) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’).
1
Obsolete, Rare Having the characteristic of jetting or jutting out; protruding.
Tvviſe tvventie Iettie ſailes vvith him, the ſvvelling ſtreame did take.[1611?], Homer, “The Second Booke of Homers Iliads”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC, page 30:
As near yon rock we bore, that o'er the waves / Just shews its jetty point, and will, ere long, / Beneath the tide be hid, we heard the sound / Of feeble lamentation.1810, Joanna Baillie, The Family Legend: A Tragedy, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for John Ballantyne and Co. […]; and Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], →OCLC, Act III, scene ii, page 77:
jetty
adj
Etymology From jet (“hard, black form of coal; colour of jet coal”, noun) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’).
1
Archaic Like jet (“a hard, black form of coal”) in colour; jet-black, pitch-black.
Blacke are his colloures, blacke Pauillion, / His ſpeare, his ſhield, his horſe, his armour, plumes, / And Ietty Feathers menace death and hell, / VVithout reſpect of ſex, degree or age.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act IIII, scene i:
[A]s amongſt the Moores, the Iettieſt blacke are deem'd / The beautifulſt of them; […]1622, Michael Drayton, “The Sixe and Twentieth Song”, in The Second Part, or A Continuance of Poly-Olbion from the Eighteenth Song. […], London: […] Augustine Mathewes for Iohn Marriott, Iohn Grismand, and Thomas Dewe, →OCLC, page 124:
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You'll be no more your former You; / But for a blooming Nymph vvill paſs / Juſt Fifteen, coming Summer's Graſs: / Your jetty Locks vvith Garlands crovvn'd, […]1724–1725 (date written), [Jonathan Swift], “A Receipt to Restore Stella’s Youth. […]”, in Miscellanies, in Prose and Verse. […], volume V, London: […] Charles Davis, […], published 1735, →OCLC, page 445:
At morn the black-cock trims his jetty wing, / 'Tis morning prompts the linnet's blithest lay; […]1810, Walter Scott, “Canto II. The Island.”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, stanza I, page 47:
Her eyelashes, though dark as night, were tinged / (It is the country's custom), but in vain; / For those large black eyes were so blackly fringed, / The glossy rebels mock'd the jetty stain, / And in their native beauty stood avenged: […]1821 August 8, [Lord Byron], Don Juan, Cantos III, IV, and V, London: […] Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, canto III, stanza LXXV, page 40:
But there was only Glorvina of the jetty ringlets with whom his intercourse was familiar, and this dashing young woman was not bent upon loving the Major, but rather on making the Major admire her— […]1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “In Which the Reader Has to Double the Cape”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 390:
2
Obsolete, Rare Having a composition like that of jet.
In the Whitby Museum there is a large mass of bone, which has the exterior converted into jet for about a quarter of an inch in thickness. The jetty matter appears to have entered first into the pores of the bone, and there to have hardened; and, during the mineralising process, the whole bony matter has been gradually displaced, and its place occupied by jet, so as to preserve its original form.1856 May 1, Robert Hunt, quoting Mr. Simpson, curator of the Whitby Museum, “No. VIII.—The Whitby Jet and Ammonite Ornaments.”, in The Art-Journal, volume II (New Series), London; New York, N.Y.: […] George Virtue, […], →OCLC, page 155, column 1:
Etymology From jet (“(obsolete) to strut; to walk with a lofty or haughty gait”, verb) + -y (suffix added for metrical reasons, or forming informal terms).
Some knack not vnpretye, / of Huſwiferie nettie, / how Huſwiues ſhould iettie / from morning to night.1570, Thomas Tusser, “To the Right Honourable and My Speciall Good Lady and Mistres, the Lady Paget”, in A Hundrethe Good Pointes of Husbandrie, Lately Maried vnto a Hundrethe Good Points of Huswifry Newly Corrected and Amplified […], revised edition, London: […] [Henry Denham? for] Rychard Tottyl, published 1571, →OCLC, stanza 13, folio 27, verso, column 1: