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jet lag

American  
Or jetlag

noun

  1. a temporary disruption of the body's normal biological rhythms after high-speed air travel through several time zones.

jet lag British  

noun

  1. a general feeling of fatigue and disorientation often experienced by travellers by jet aircraft who cross several time zones in relatively few hours

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
jet lag Scientific  

  1. A temporary disruption of normal circadian rhythm caused by high-speed travel across several time zones typically in a jet aircraft, resulting in fatigue, disorientation, and disturbed sleep patterns.

jet lag Cultural  

  1. A temporary disruption of the body's biological clock experienced by persons who travel across several time zones by airplane. The effects of jet lag, which may include fatigue and irritability, generally disappear after a few days as the body's internal rhythms readjust themselves to the new time frame.

Other Word Forms

  • jet-lagged adjective

Etymology

Origin of jet lag

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After 25 years of bouncing around the globe with Gorillaz, he’s still longing for a jet lag cure.

From Los Angeles Times

CEOs with crazy travel schedules told us how they crush jet lag.

From The Wall Street Journal

Beating jet lag is equally serious business for globe-trotting corporate bosses.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is more appropriate for jet lag and short-term use, said St-Onge.

From The Wall Street Journal

That’s great for an extra hour of sleep each night and no jet lag after the trip, but it was a bit confusing to wake up every day with different times on all our devices.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.