CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
May 31, 2016	May 31, 2015	May 31, 2016	May 31, 2015
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 5,839	$ 72,424	$ 216,187	$ 197,073
Other comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	18,734	(13,084)	(5,433)	(94,693)
Changes in fair value of derivative instruments, net of tax	(2,021)	2,647	(15,834)	(7,711)
Reclassification of net losses realized and included in net income related to derivative instruments, net of tax	6,812	1,548	29,762	5,620
Unrealized (loss) gain on available for sale securities	(621)	223	(3,748)	578
Other comprehensive income (loss)	22,904	(8,666)	4,747	(96,206)
Comprehensive income	28,743	63,758	220,934	100,867
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	626	221	159	756
Comprehensive income attributable to Jabil Circuit, Inc.	$ 28,117	$ 63,537	$ 220,775	$ 100,111

Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income and other comprehensive income, attributable to parent entity. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Other Comprehensive Income
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51831270

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Comprehensive Income
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51831223

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=d3e557-108580

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Net Income
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51831255

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income (loss) and other comprehensive income (loss), attributable to noncontrolling interests. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 21
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51664549&loc=SL4613674-111683

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51664549&loc=SL4569643-111683

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 4K
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736750&loc=SL4591552-111686

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income and other comprehensive income. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments, of appreciation (loss) in value of unsold available-for-sale securities. Excludes amounts related to other than temporary impairment (OTTI) loss.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments, of increase (decrease) in accumulated gain (loss) from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges and an entity's share of an equity investee's increase (decrease) in deferred hedging gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDerivativesQualifyingAsHedgesNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b,c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6915805&loc=d3e32211-110900

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=SL7669619-108580

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=SL7669625-108580

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51821188&loc=d3e1436-108581

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPeriodIncreaseDecreaseAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of reclassification adjustment from accumulated other comprehensive income of accumulated gain (loss) realized from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges and an entity's share of an equity investee's deferred hedging gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=d3e689-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=d3e41638-113959

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=d3e637-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIOnDerivativesNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51664549&loc=SL4569616-111683

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 4K
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736750&loc=SL4591552-111686

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4573702-111684

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 4J
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736750&loc=SL4591551-111686

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementOfIncomeAndComprehensiveIncomeAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration