Is it spelled “gist” or “jist”?

How to spell “gist” correctly

Although you may have seen the word “gist” spelled with the letter “j,” it’s never correct to spell the word as “jist.” While the spelling of “jist” makes sense phonetically, or by the way it sounds, it’s not an acceptable way to spell the word. Unlike homophones, which are words that sound the same and have different meanings, “jist” is a misspelling of the real word and should never be used in your writing.

What does “gist” mean?

The word “gist” functions as a noun meaning the main point, part, or essence of something. Typically, people use the “gist” when referring to a summary of a story, argument, or conversation. “Gist” can also be used in legal settings to mean the basis of a legal action. Get the gist?

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Synonyms of “gist”

Even though you can’t use “jist” as an alternative to “gist,” there are plenty of other synonyms you can swap into your writing. Just remember to always consider the context of your writing when using synonyms—not every synonym can be used in the same way.

• Bottom line
• Core
• Heart
• Point
• Essence
• Crux

How to use “gist” in a sentence

“Gist” should always be used in sentences as a noun, but there aren’t any specific grammar rules to follow besides that. Here are some ways you can use this word to get a point across in your writing.

• “You need to explain the gist of the novel in your essay.”
• “Sandra heard the gist of their conversation while eavesdropping.”
• “The gist of his argument was hard to convey.”
• “Just tell me the gist of what our professor said in class.”

Common phrases that use “gist”

Although the word “gist” can be used in many ways, it’s often used as a part of popular idioms. Someone might say “just give me the gist,” when they want you to quickly summarize the most important part of the story you’re telling them. Similarly, asking “what’s the gist?” means you want the essence of what someone’s telling you, not the full details.

Tricks to remember how to spell “gist”

If you find yourself struggling to remember the correct spellings of words, try using a mnemonic device. Mnemonic devices include a range of techniques to help you remember information, including spelling and grammar rules. For the word gist, you can associate the letter “g” at the beginning of “gist” with the “g” in “good” to remind yourself of the right way to spell the word.

If you struggle with spelling, we hope you’ve understood the gist of how to use this commonly misspelled word in your writing. When in doubt, double-check your writing using spelling or grammar tools.