Jersey en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈd͡ʒɝzi/ (Canada, General-American)
- /ˈd͡ʒɛrzɪ/ (Scotland)
- (US) audio
- /ˈd͡ʒɛrzi/ (Scotland)
- /ˈd͡ʒøːzi/ (New-Zealand)
- /ˈd͡ʒɛrze/ (Scotland)
- /ˈd͡ʒɛːzi/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
- /ˈd͡ʒɜːzi/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈd͡ʒeːzi/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
Etymology
From Middle English Gersey, from Anglo-Norman Gersui, further etymology disputed. Probably from Old Norse [Term?], compound of Geirs (“Geirr's”) + ey (“island”). Also occasionally and historically connected to Latin Caesarea, a common name given to locations conquered by the Romans in honor of Caesar (compare French Césarée). The latter theory still bestows the Latin translation of the island.
Meanings
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A breed of dairy cattle developed on Jersey.
The Jersey is the queen of the creamery, in my neighbor's estimation.
Different milks have varying amounts of fats, proteins, and lactose, and arguments abound over the relative merits and possible harms of each. For many centuries, milk with a high fat content was considered to be the best, and low-fat or skimmed milk was considered fraudulent—in fact, selling it was often illegal. Cow breeds that produce milk with a high fat content, such as Ayrshires, Jerseys, and Guernseys, have always been valued, especially for cheesemaking.
2018, Mark Kurlansky, “Chapter 1: The First Taste of Sweetness”, in Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas, Bloomsbury, →ISBN:In illustrating this short article upon the Jersey cow I am happy in securing cuts of five typical Jersey cows of national reputation, each representing a different family of breeding and somewhat different type, but all of great merit, namely: Old Lady Mary, Old Jersey Bell of Scituate, Mary Ann of St. Lambert, Chroma (of St. Hellier breeding) and Bisson's Belle. These cuts give the reader a fair ideal of the well developed Jersey cow. In presenting some of the good qualities of the Jersey cow I would not be understood as presenting her as the only dairy cow. I simply maintain that she is a specially bred butter cow and that she produces butter of the best quality at the lowest cost of production. Her superiority in these regards was made apparent in the competitive test of dairy breeds at the great Columbian exposition at Chicago.
1896, Homer W. Vail, “The Jersey Cow, the Butter Queen”, in Vermont State Board of Agriculture, edited by C.M. Winslow, Sixteenth Vermont Agricultural Report by the State Board of Agriculture for the Year 1896, Burlington, Vermont, USA: Free Press Association, page 29:
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Any individual of this breed.
STATEMENT. The herd of Jerseys herein catalogued has been collected by purchase since the summer of 1880. The animals were bought, with few exceptions, either upon the Island of Jersey or at public auction in this country. The exceptions are a few cows from the fine herd of the proprietor's father, Mr. F. C. Havemeyer, of Throgg's Neck, Westchester County, and a few purchased in dam. In establishing the herd, the object was to obtain one hundred cows of the highest possible excellence, judged by their milk and butter yield, their fitness for breeders (constitution), and their typical excellence as Jerseys, and neither time, pains, nor expense, which could reasonably contribute to this end, have been spared.
1883, Theodore Augustus Havemeyer, The Mountainside Breeding-herd of Jersey Cattle, Mahwah, New Jersey, Vaux and Company:She's our butter queen, our dandy Jersey, Mary Ann.
CHOICE JERSEYS For Sale Cheap. The very handsome Jersey bull BROWN BESSIE'S CAPTAIN 50005, four years old, solid color; shows fine calves and heifers. Also, two registered cows of fine individuality and breeding, both young and fine dairy animals. E. W. RICHTER, Owatonna, Minn.
1901 August 28, E W. Richter, “[advertisement]”, in The Jersey Bulletin, volume 20, number 35, Indianapolis, Indiana, page 1:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerseys | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Guernsey · Alderney · Holstein · Ayrshire · Frisian · Guernsey · Alderney · Frisian · Holstein