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Definition of jailbait

jailbait

/ˈdʒeɪl.beɪt/
jail · bait
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jailbait Lexical Profile

jailbait Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A young person, especially an adolescent girl, who is considered sexually attractive but is below the legal age of consent (slang).

Example

"The bouncer strictly checked IDs at the door to keep underage teens from becoming a liability for the club."

Word Nuance & Usage

Used strictly as informal slang with strong pejorative and objectifying connotations; it is frequently treated as an uncountable noun even when referring to a single individual.

• Nearby Words

jaguarundi
jail
jailable
jailbait
jailbird
jailbreak
jailbreaker

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in American slang in the 1930s as a compound of 'jail' and 'bait', alluding to the legal risk of imprisonment for statutory rape.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Jailbait. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/jailbait
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