metagrobolism

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμάταιος“vain, futile”
2. Middle French · borrowed frommatagrabolisme
3. English todaymetagrobolism

Coined in translation of Rabelais' works, from Middle French matagrabolisme, from matagraboliser (“mystify”). The first element is from Ancient Greek μάταιος (mátaios, “vain, futile”), but altered to assimilate to the prefix meta-, + French grabeler (“sift, examine closely, scrutinize”) + -isme.