Online Etymology Dictionary

jointly (adv.): c.1300, from joint (adj.) + -ly (2). It seems to have chased out joinly (early 15c.).
jointure (n.): late 14c., "act or fact of being joined," from Old French jointure "a putting together," from Latin iunctura "a joining, juncture" (see juncture). Specific legal sense from mid-15c.
joist (n.): early 14c. (late 13c. in Anglo-Latin), from Old French giste "beam supporting a bridge" (Modern French gîte), noun use of fem. past participle of gesir "to lie," from Latin iacere "to lie, rest," related to iacere "to throw" (see jet (v.)). Notion is of wooden beam on which boards "lie down."
joke (n.): 1660s, joque, "a jest, something done to excite laughter," from Latin iocus "joke, sport, pastime," from PIE root *yek- "to speak" (cf. Breton iez "language," Old High German jehan "to say," German Beichte "confession").

Originally a colloquial or slang word. Meaning "something not to be taken seriously" is 1791. Practical joke "trick played on someone for the sake of a laugh at his expense" is from 1804 (earlier handicraft joke, 1741). Black joke is old slang for "smutty song" (1730s), from use of that phrase in the refrain of a then-popular song as a euphemism for "the monosyllable."
joke (v.): 1660s, "to make a joke," from Latin iocari "to jest, joke," from iocus (see joke (n.)). Related: Joked; joking.
joker (n.): 1729, "jester, merry fellow," agent noun from joke (v.). In generic slang use for "any man, fellow, chap" by 1811, which probably is the source of the meaning "odd face card in the deck" (1868). An 1857 edition of Hoyle's "Games" lists a card game called Black Joke in which all face cards were called jokers.
American manufacturers of playing-cards are wont to include a blank card at the top of the pack; and it is, alas! true that some thrifty person suggested that the card should not be wasted. This was the origin of the joker. ["St. James's Gazette," 1894]
jokester (n.): 1819, from joke + -ster.
joky (adj.): 1825, from joke (n.) + -y (2). Related: Jokiness.
jollification (n.): "merrymaking," 1809, American English, from jolly + -fication. Shortened form jolly led to phrase get (one's) jollies "have fun" (1957).
jollify (v.): 1824, back-formation from jollification. Related: Jollified; jollifying.
jolliness (n.): late 14c., from jolly + -ness.
jollity (n.): c.1300, jolyfte, iolite, from Old French jolivete "gaity, cheerfulness; amorous passion; life of pleasure," from jolif (see jolly).
jolly (adj.): c.1300 (late 13c. as a surname), from Old French jolif "festive, merry, amorous, pretty" (12c.) of uncertain origin (cf. Italian giulivo "merry, pleasant").

Perhaps a Germanic loan-word from a source akin to Old Norse jol "a winter feast" (see yule), or from Latin gaudere "to rejoice," from PIE *gau- "to rejoice" (see joy). For loss of -f, cf. tardy, hasty. Related: Jollily; jolliness.
jolly boat (n.): 1727, of unknown origin, probably from Danish jolle (17c.) or Dutch jol (1680s), both related to yawl; or it may be from Middle English jolywat (late 15c.) "a ship's small boat," of unknown origin.
jolt (v.): 1590s, perhaps from Middle English jollen, chollen "to knock, to batter" (early 15c.), or an alteration of obsolete jot (v.) "to jostle" (1520s). Perhaps related to earlier jolt head "a big, stupid head" (1530s). Figurative sense of "to startle, surprise" is from 1872. Related: Jolted; jolting.
jolt (n.): 1590s, "a knock," from jolt (v.). Meaning "jarring shock" is from 1630s.
Jonah: masc. proper name, biblical prophet, from Hebrew Yonah, literally "dove, pigeon."
Jonas: masc. proper name, from Late Latin Jonas, from Greek Ionas, from Hebrew yonah "dove, pigeon" (cf. Jonah).
Jonathan: masc. proper name, biblical son of Saul, from Hebrew Yonathan, short for Yehonathan, literally "the Lord has given" (cf. Nathan). As a pre-Uncle Sam emblem of the United States, sometimes personified as Brother Jonathan, it dates from 1816, said to have been applied by Washington to Gov. Jonathan Trumbull Sr. of Connecticut (1710-1785), to whom he sometimes turned for advice (cf. 2 Sam. i:26); hence "a New Englander," and eventually "an American." As a variety of red apple it dates from 1831, so called because it was introduced in the U.S.
Jones: surname, literally "John's (child);" see John. Phrase keep up with the Joneses (1913, American English) is from the title of a comic strip by Arthur R. Momand. The slang sense "intense desire, addiction" (1968) probably arose from earlier use of Jones as a synonym for "heroin," presumably from the proper name, but the connection, if any, is obscure. Related: Jonesing.
jongleur (n.): "wandering minstrel," 1779, from Norman-French jongleur, variant of Old French jogleor, from Latin ioculator "jester, joker" (see juggler). Revived in a technical sense by modern writers.
jonquil (n.): 1660s, species of narcissus, from French jonquille (17c.), from Spanish junquillo, diminutive of junco "rush, reed," from Latin iuncus "rush;" so called in reference to its leaves. The type of canary bird (1865) is so called for its pale yellow color, which is like that of the flower.
jook (v.): "dodge, duck," 1510s, Scottish, of unknown origin. Related: Jooked; jooking.
Jordan: river in ancient Palestine; the crossing of it is symbolic of death in high-flown language as a reference to Num. xxxiii:51. The modern nation-state dates to 1921.
Jose: masc. proper name, from Spanish José, Spanish form of Joseph.
Joseph: masc. proper name, biblical son of Jacob and Rachel, from Late Latin Joseph, Josephus, from Greek Ioseph, from Hebrew Yoseph (also Yehoseph, cf. Ps. lxxxi:6) "adds, increases," causative of yasaph "he added." Its use in names of clothing and plants often is in reference to his "coat of many colors."
Josephine: fem. proper name, from French Jósephine, fem. of Joseph. Another feminized form of it is Josepha.
josh (v.): "to make fun of, to banter," 1845, American English, probably from the familiar version of the proper name Joshua, but just which Joshua, or why, is long forgotten. Perhaps it was taken as a typical name of an old farmer. The word was in use earlier than the career of U.S. humorist Josh Billings, pseudonym of Henry Wheeler Shaw (1818-1885), who did not begin to write and lecture until 1860; but his popularity after 1869 may have influence that of the word.
About the most originality that any writer can hope to achieve honestly is to steal with good judgment. ["Josh Billings"]
Related: Joshed; joshing.
Joshua: masc. proper name, biblical successor of Moses, from Hebrew Yehoshua, literally "the Lord is salvation." Joshua tree (1867) is perhaps so called because its shape compared to pictures of Joshua brandishing a spear (Josh. viii:18). In the top 10 list of names for boys in the U.S. since 1979.
joss (n.): "Chinese figure of a deity," 1711, from Chinese Pidgin English, from Javanese dejos, taken 16c. from Portuguese deus "god," from Latin deus (see Zeus). Colloquially, it came to mean "luck." Joss stick "Chinese incense" first recorded 1883.
jostle (v.): 1540s, justle, "to knock against," formed from jousten (see joust) + frequentative suffix -tle. The usual spelling 17c.-18c. was justle. An earlier meaning of the word was "to have sex with" (c.1400). Meaning "to contend for the best position or place" is from 1610s. Related: Jostled; jostling. As a noun from c.1600.
jot (n.): 1520s, borrowing of Latin jota, variant spelling of Greek iota "the letter -i-," the smallest letter in the alphabet, hence the least part of anything.
jot (v.): "to make a short note of," 1721, from jot (n.). Related: Jotted; jotting.
jota (n.): Spanish folk dance; by 1846, of uncertain etymology.
jotun (n.): 1842, a word revived from Old Norse jotunn (see ettin).
jouissance (n.): late 15c., from Old French jouissance, from jouissant, present participle of joir "to enjoy" (see enjoy).
jouk (v.): see jook.
joule (n.): unit of electrical energy, 1882, coined in recognition of British physicist James P. Joule (1818-1889).
jounce (v.): mid-15c., of unknown origin, perhaps a blend of jump and bounce. Related: Jounced; jouncing. The noun is 1787, from the verb.
journal (n.): mid-14c., "book of church services," from Anglo-French jurnal "a day," from Old French jornel, "day, time; day's work," noun use of adjective meaning "daily," from Late Latin diurnalis "daily" (see diurnal). Meaning "book for inventories and daily accounts" is late 15c.; that of "personal diary" is c.1600, from a sense found in French. Meaning "daily publication" is from 1728.
journalism (n.): 1821, regarded as a French word at first, from French journalisme (1781), from journal (see journal).
Journalism will kill you, but it will keep you alive while you're at it. [Horace Greely (1811-1872), U.S. journalist]
Journalese "language typical of newspaper articles or headlines" is from 1882.
Where men are insulated they are easily oppressed; when roads become good, and intercourse is easy, their force is increased more than a hundred fold: when, without personal communication, their opinions can be interchanged, and the people thus become one mass, breathing one breath and one spirit, their might increases in a ratio of which it is difficult to find the measure or the limit. Journalism does this office .... ["New Monthly Magazine," London, 1831]

[Géo] London was in western France covering the trial of a parricide that began in mid-afternoon. Because he had an early deadline, he telephoned a story that he was certain would take place: an angry crowd cursing the accused as he was marched to the courthouse from his holding cell at the police station. London then relaxed over lunch until he saw with dismay the guards and the prisoner coming but "not even the shadow of a gawker." His reputation at stake, he stalked to the door, cried out, "Kill him!" and returned to his table. [Benjamin F. Martin, "France in 1938"]
journalist (n.): 1690s, "one whose work is to write or edit public journals or newspapers," from journal + -ist. Meaning "one who keeps a journal" is from 1712. Related: Journalistic.
journey (n.): c.1200, "a defined course of traveling; one's path in life," from Old French journee "day's work or travel" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin diurnum "day," noun use of neuter of Latin diurnus "of one day" (see diurnal). Meaning "act of traveling by land or sea" is c.1300. In Middle English it also meant "a day" (c.1400); a day's work (mid-14c.); "distance traveled in one day" (mid-13c.), and as recently as Johnson (1755) the primary sense was still "the travel of a day."
journey (v.): mid-14c., "travel from one place to another," from Anglo-French journeyer, Old French journoier, from journee (see journey (n.)). Related: Journeyed; journeying.
journeyman (n.): "qualified worker at a craft or trade who works for wages for another" (a position between apprentice and master), early 15c., from journey (n.), preserving the etymological sense of the word, + man (n.). Figurative depricatory sense of "hireling, drudge" is from 1540s. Its American English colloquial shortening jour (adj.) is attested from 1835.
joust (v.): c.1300, "fight with a spear or lance on horseback with another knight; tilt in a tournament," from Old French joster "to joust, tilt," from Vulgar Latin *iuxtare "to approach, come together, meet," originally "be next to," from Latin iuxta "beside, near," related to iungere "join together" (see jugular). Formerly spelled, and until modern times pronounced, "just." Related: Jousted; jousting.
joust (n.): c.1300, from Old French joustes, from joster (see joust (v.)). The sport was popular with Anglo-Norman knights.
These early tournaments were very rough affairs, in every sense, quite unlike the chivalrous contests of later days; the rival parties fought in groups, and it was considered not only fair but commendable to hold off until you saw some of your adversaries getting tired and then to join in the attack on them; the object was not to break a lance in the most approved style, but frankly to disable as many opponents as possible for the sake of obtaining their horses, arms, and ransoms. [L.F. Salzman, "English Life in the Middle Ages," Oxford, 1950]
Jove: Roman god of the bright sky, late 14c., from Latin Iovis, from PIE *dyeu- "to shine," with derivatives referring to the sky, heavens, a god (see diurnal, and cf. Zeus). In classical Latin, the compound Iuppiter replaced Old Latin Iovis as the god's name.
jovial (adj.): 1580s, "under the influence of the planet Jupiter," from Middle French jovial (16c.), from Italian joviale, literally "pertaining to Jupiter," and directly from Latin Iovialis "of Jupiter," from Iovius (used as genitive of Iuppiter) "Jupiter," Roman god of the sky (see Jove). The meaning "good-humored, merry," is from astrological belief that those born under the sign of the planet Jupiter are of such dispositions. Related: Jovially.
joviality (n.): 1620s, from French jovialite, from jovial (see jovial).