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Janet and John

(UK) Childishly simple or obvious, resembling something found in a book for very young children.

ˈd͡ʒænət ənd ˈd͡ʒɑnDocumented since 1940s1940sBoomerhistorical121 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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Born ~1949 · no dated citations yet
1949BornToday, 2026

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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK) Childishly simple or obvious, resembling something found in a book for very young children.

There is an instruction manual, but it's all very Janet and John.
Origin: From the Janet and John series of early reading books, published in the UK in 1949–50. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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