Gobbledegook

/ˈɡɑbəldɪɡʊk/ noun

Definition

Language that is intentionally or unintentionally confusing, full of fancy words, or incomprehensible jargon that obscures meaning.

Etymology

Likely from an onomatopoeia mimicking the sound a turkey makes ('gobble'), combined with 'gook' in a playful, nonsensical-sounding compound created in the 1940s.

Kelly Says

Gobbledegook was officially named and criticized by American politician Maury Maverick in 1944—he invented the word to fight against bureaucratic confusion!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.