# Is it 'Jukebox' or 'Jutebox'?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 26, 2000, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460 "2000-10-26T18:23:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Me\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@Me\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Joe)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/1 "2000-10-26T18:23:17Z")

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A friend and I have bet money on this. I swear I’ve seen it written as “jukebox”; but admittedly only in a bar in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (so it could be the dutch version of the word). And whatever it is, just how did it get the name in the first place? For that matter, where and when did they originate?

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**Author:** ![Me\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@Me\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Joe)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/2 "2000-10-26T18:26:13Z")

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huh, I DID write out "Is it “Jukebox” or “Jutebox”? in my original post header. Why it didn’t all appear I don’t know.

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**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/3 "2000-10-26T18:29:29Z")

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jukebox, or juke box.

a juke (or jook) formerly meant a house of ill repute, but later evolved to mean a dive, with drinks and dancing. hence, the juke box.

ps. quotes will fuck up your title. a mod can fix it for you.

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**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/4 "2000-10-26T18:29:53Z")

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Jukebox, as I’ve always seen it. I always assumed Juke meant “song” or “jig” or something.

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/5 "2000-10-26T18:42:25Z")

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A jutebox is a small prison in which ancient invaders to Britain are stored for posterity. (Either that, or a carry-case for transporting macramé supplies.)

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**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/6 "2000-10-26T18:44:01Z")

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I’ve heard it was in connection with the _Jukes_ family. The surname is fictitious; there was a famous sociological study which purported to show that feeble-mindedness and crime ran in families, and this family was called the Jukeses to protect their identity. So, _juke_box because the users of said machines were low-class folks? I’m not claiming this is the true etymology, just what I’ve read somewhere.

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**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/7 "2000-10-26T18:50:44Z")

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jouk or jook has an earlier meaning, to dodge a hit. There’s a whole bunch of archaic uses which derive from that, many of which have to do with making fast twitchy movements.

perhaps this etymology stretches toward the lusty lunges of lovemaking, and then down to dancing. perhaps not.

jb

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**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-jukebox-or-jutebox/38460/8 "2000-10-26T18:51:11Z")

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Per Merriam-Webster though, **jb\_farley** has got it right: juke = brothel.

Wonder what became of the Jukeses, though?