Definition of jog

The origin of the word "jog" can be traced back to medieval England, where it was first used to describe a light trotting gait of a horse. This meaning of the word persisted for several centuries, appearing in various old English and Middle English texts. However, the modern meaning of "jogging" as a form of low-intensity exercise didn't emerge until the late 1960s. The term is said to have originated from a drinking game called "joker" or "jogging jug," which involved drinking from various jugs around a room in a specific order. In 1962, Dr. William C. "Bill" Bowman, an American cardiologist, started promoting jogging as a way to improve cardiovascular health. He organized the first-ever organized road race, the "Celebrate Summer" 10K (6.2 miles) run, in November 1966 in America. The term "jogging" caught on quickly as a trendy fitness craze in the following years, and it was soon adopted by the wider English-speaking world. The Oxford English Dictionary notes the first known written reference of "jogging" as a form of exercise in 1971. In summary, the word "jog" first referred to the light trot of a horse until the mid-20th century, when it was repurposed to describe a low-intensity running exercise derived from a drinking game.