What does jigsaw mean?
A jigsaw is, literally, a tool for making curved and intricate cuts. The word is also familiar from jigsaw puzzles, which consist of many interlocking pieces representing a picture, object, or scene. In extended use, a jigsaw is the separate parts into which something complicated is broken down for examination, as in a “jigsaw of facts” or a “jigsaw of the past.” The verb follows the same figurative pattern: to jigsaw something is to divide it into component parts, often with the implication that the process is intricate or demanding. This metaphorical use is especially common in journalism, historical writing, and discussion of complex investigations, where evidence or events are gradually assembled or analysed. Jigsaw can consequently suggest both careful reconstruction and the difficulty of understanding relationships among many separate pieces.
A saw with a fine, flexible blade used for cutting intricate curves, or a puzzle made from interlocking pieces that form a picture when assembled.
"The children completed the jigsaw before breakfast."
The word can refer literally to the cutting tool, to the puzzle, or figuratively to a set of related parts that must be understood together.
To cut with a jigsaw, or to divide a complicated matter into separate parts.
"The investigator jigsawed the evidence into manageable categories."
The figurative use is common in journalism and analytical writing, especially when a complicated issue is being broken down or reconstructed.
The usual plural is “jigsaws,” referring to multiple saws or puzzles.
"The shop sells wooden toys, including small jigsaws for children."
The name “jigsaw” originally described a cutting tool whose blade could move rapidly up and down, before the word came to mean the celebrated picture puzzle.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jigsaw come from?
The word developed from “jig,” an earlier term associated with rapid or jerking movement, and “saw,” referring to the tool that makes the cut. “Jigsaw” was applied to the cutting tool before the name was transferred to the modern puzzle during the 19th century. The related spelling “jigsaw” became especially common in American English and is now used for both the saw and the puzzle. The puzzle form developed from earlier wooden interlocking constructions and became widely popular in the 19th century.
Related word forms
How jigsaw is actually used
In figurative use, “jigsaw” usually suggests a process of analysis or reconstruction, especially when a complicated issue is divided into its component parts. The spelling “jigsaw” is common in US English, particularly for the saw, and is also used as a variant of the puzzle term.