jerky (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
1850, American English, from American Spanish charqui "jerked meat," from Quechua (Inca) ch'arki "dried flesh."
jerky (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
"characterized by jerks," 1858, from jerk (v.1) + -y (2). Related: Jerkily; jerkiness.