noun

jam

JAM/dʒæm/

A sweet spread made from fruit and sugar.

Strawberry jam covers the toast beside the open jar.

An open jar of strawberry jam beside toast thickly spread with the same glossy, fruit-speckled preserve, with a few fresh strawberries identifying the fruit.

Etymology

The fruit-spread sense probably comes from the verb meaning “press tightly,” through the idea of crushing fruit into a preserve. The verb’s own origin is unknown.

In context

PublicResourceOrg5:39

i have a processing business i make raspberry jam i make a no sugar raspberry jam

The VIGA Show: Farmer's Market Vegetables and a Healthy Cantaloupe Salad

More examples

We make jam from the berries in our garden.
Each cookie has a spoonful of jam in the center.
The market sells several homemade jams, including peach and raspberry.

Forms

jam · jams

Similar words

jelly: Made from fruit juice rather than crushed fruit.
marmalade: Made from citrus fruit and usually includes pieces of peel.
preserves: Often contains larger fruit pieces or whole fruit.