Dictionary

gobbledygook en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɡɑːbəldɪˌɡuːk/
• /ˈɡɒbəldɪˌɡuːk/
• /-ɡʊk/
• (US) audio
• /-di-/

Etymology

First attested in a memo by US Representative (Texas) Maury Maverick dated March 30, 1944, banning "gobbledygook language". Apparently coined in imitation of the sounds made by a turkey.

Meanings

1. (informal, uncountable, usually) Nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.
2. (informal, uncountable, usually) Something written in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner.

Forms

Deriveds

gobbledygooker

Relateds

officialese · gobblefunk · nonsense · bureaucratese · jargon · doubletalk

Translations (62)

pt algaravia (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · da vrøvl (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sv gallimatias (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · hu halandzsa (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · nb tullprat (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · it latinorum (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · eo galimatio (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · de Kauderwelsch (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · da bavl (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · la dēlīrāmentum (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · fi hölynpöly (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · ja 珍紛漢紛 (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · it idiozie (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sv högtravande kanslistil (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · de geschwollenes Zeug (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · fr galimatias (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · bg празнословие (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · da sludder (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sh lupetanje (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · no galimatias (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · it fuffa (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · ru галиматья́ (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · fi kapulakieli (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · hu maszlag (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · hu hadova (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · fr charabia (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · id bahasa dewa (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · de Gromolo (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sv dravel (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sv struntprat (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sv rappakalja (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · bg безсмислица (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · hu hablaty (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · fi diibadaaba (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · hu bikkfanyelv (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · sv goja (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · it sciocchezze (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · pl bełkot (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sv fikonspråk (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · nb vrøvl (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · cmn 天書 /天书 (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · nl koeterwaals (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · no kaudervelsk (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · it burocratese (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · mi reo kihi (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · it supercazzola (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · bg сложнотия (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · id bahasa planet (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · de aufgeblasenes Gesülze (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · da kaudervælsk (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · de Gibberisch (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · cs hatmatilka (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · de Fachchinesisch (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner) · hu blabla (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · de Geschwafel (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · la ineptiae (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · fr gloubi-boulga (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · fi liirumlaarum (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sh galimatijas (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · it fesserie (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · sv strunt (nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language) · mi reo kihi (something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner)

wikipedia: Maury Maverick