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jelly (n.)

late 14c., gelee, gelle, gelly, "semisolid substance from animal or vegetable material, spiced and used in cooking; chopped meat or fish served in such a jelly," from Old French gelee "a jelly," also "a frost," noun use of fem. past participle of geler "to congeal, to freeze," from Latin gelare "to freeze, congeal, stiffen," related to gelu "frost," from PIE *gela-, suffixed form of root *gel- "cold; to freeze."

By early 15c. it was used of any jellied or coagulated substance; from 16c. as "thickened juice of a fruit prepared as food."

jelly (v.)

c. 1600, transitive and intransitive, from jelly (n.). Related: Jellied; jellying.

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Definitions of jelly from WordNet
1
jelly (n.)
an edible jelly (sweet or pungent) made with gelatin and used as a dessert or salad base or a coating for foods;
Synonyms: gelatin
jelly (n.)
a preserve made of the jelled juice of fruit;
jelly (n.)
any substance having the consistency of jelly or gelatin;
2
jelly (v.)
make into jelly;
Synonyms: jellify
From wordnet.princeton.edu