jill

jill — noun

1. a protective undergarment for female athletes taking part in contact sports such

1.nounB2
Definition

a protective undergarment for female athletes taking part in contact sports such as hockey or cricket, worn beneath shorts or trousers to cushion the lower abdomen and upper thighs

Example

Before the hockey game, Mia put on her jill under her shorts.

collocation: put on a jill / wear a jill

The sports shop sells several brands of jills for women's cricket.

countable: several brands of jills

Common collocations
  • wear a jill
  • put on a jill
  • buy a jill
  • borrow a jill
  • well-fitting jill
  • jill for cricket / hockey
Synonyms
  • protective cup

    broader term that also applies to male groin guards; 'jill' is specifically for women

  • pelvic protector

    more clinical term; less commonly used in daily sports talk

Grammar Patterns

a + jill

plural: jills

Usage Note

The word 'jill' is the female equivalent of 'jockstrap' and is significantly less common in everyday conversation. It is most often used by athletes, coaches, and in sports-equipment contexts.

Common Mistakes

She wore a jill over her shorts.
She wore a jill under her shorts.
A jill is worn as underwear beneath outer clothing, not on top.

2. an adult female ferret, a small furry domesticated animal often kept as a pet or

2.nounC1
Definition

an adult female ferret, a small furry domesticated animal often kept as a pet or used for hunting rabbits

Example

The farmer kept two jills and one hob for breeding ferrets.

paired term: jill (female) vs hob (male)

Aiko's pet ferret is a jill — you can tell by her smaller size.

Common collocations
  • a jill ferret
  • jill and hob
  • breed a jill
  • spay a jill
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • hob

    the term for a male ferret

Grammar Patterns

a + jill

plural: jills

Usage Note

This sense is primarily used by veterinarians, breeders, and pet owners who work with ferrets. The male is called a 'hob', and a young ferret is a 'kit'.

Common Mistakes

My pet cat is a jill.
My pet ferret is a jill.
'Jill' is only used for female ferrets, not other animals.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

The word 'jill' is the female-specific counterpart of 'jockstrap', but whereas 'jockstrap' is widely known, 'jill' remains a niche term used mainly within women's contact sports (field hockey, cricket, martial arts). 'Protective cup' is a gender-neutral description that covers both jills and male groin guards, but it is more clinical. 'Pelvic protector' sounds even more formal and is rarely heard in changing-room talk. In everyday conversation, most athletes would simply say 'protective gear' or name the sport piece: 'a cricket box for women'. If you are writing a sports-equipment catalogue, 'jill' is the correct technical term; in casual speech, expect to explain the word.

jill ↗protective cuppelvic protectorjockstrap

Common collocations

Nouns

  • jill for cricket
  • jill for hockey
  • jill for martial arts

Phrases

  • wear a jill under ...
  • put on a jill before ...

Etymology

EnglishMiddle English (proper name)

The word 'jill' was coined by analogy with 'jockstrap' in the late 20th century: 'jock' (a male athlete) was paired with 'Jill' as a feminine name counterpart (as in the traditional phrase 'Jack and Jill'), creating a term for the female equivalent of the protective garment. The ferret sense is older — it comes from the use of 'Jill' as a proper name for a female animal, dating back to the 16th century.