joekel

Borrowed from Romani ʒukel (“dog”), from Persian جاهل‎ (jâhel, “foolish, ignorant”), from Arabic جاهِل‎ (jāhil, “ignorant”). The sense development from dog to large entity was mediated by the sense large dog.

The "large dog" sense is attested since 1873, "whopper" since 1965.

• IPA^(key): /ˈju.kəl/

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• Hyphenation: joe‧kel

joekel m (plural joekels, diminutive joekeltje n)

1. (archaic, slang) dog

   Synonym: hond

2. whopper (something remarkably large)

   De tweet staat vol met zulke joekels van fouten dat het niet te geloven is. ― The tweet is full of such whoppers of errors that it is unbelievable.