Jack

word type: noun

  1. The fourth highest ranking card in a deck.

Also Known As

The jack is also known as the knave. The card used to be known as the knave (meaning a male servant to royalty) and distinguished with Kn. In 1864 an English cardmaker by the name of Samuel Hart changed the card with the letter J to denote the lowest court card.

Representations

Each of the jacks in a deck represent a historical person.

Jack of Spades: Ogier the Dane
Jack of Hearts: La Hire
Jack of Diamonds: Hector (mythological hero of the Iliad)
Jack of Clubs: Lancelot