Etymology

whataboutery

W4H4A1T1A1B3O1U1T1E1R1Y4

Today it means: Protesting at hypocrisy; responding to criticism by accusing one's opponent of similar or worse faults. Full definition →

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The story

From what about + -ery. Originally used in describing political discourse during the Northern Ireland troubles, it has also found use in discussions of the origins of other prolonged sectarian conflicts, such as the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.