disc jockey

Meaning

Noun

• A person who conducts a radio program of recorded music combined with talk, news, commercials, weather, etc.
• A person who plays, and sometimes mixes, recorded music at nightclubs, dances, parties, or some other social event; and/or as a backup musician for spoken word, or hip hop performers.

Origin

• disc refers to the shape of the carrier holding the music. jockey refers to a diminutive of jock, the Northern English or Scots colloquial equivalent of the first name John, which is also used generically for “boy, or fellow” (compare Jack, Dick), at least since 1529. So, disc jockey / DJ, refers to a young person playing (with discs holding) music.
• to describe Martin Block. Appeared in print in Variety in 1941.
• Previously also called record man.