Meanings
- A fantastical dreaded monster with flaming eyes.
For it is of their nature that the jabberwocks of historical and antiquarian research burble in the tulgy wood of conjecture, flitting from one tum-tum tree to another.
1936, J. R. R. Tolkien, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics, Norwood, Pa.: Norwood Editions, published 1976, page 6
Origin
Nonsense word coined by British author and scholar Lewis Carroll in his poem Jabberwocky (q.v.), from the children's book Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1872). Carroll stated later, "The Anglo-Saxon word 'wocer' or 'wocor' signifies 'offspring' or 'fruit' [see oker]. Taking 'jabber' in its ordinary acceptation of 'excited and voluble discussion', this would give the meaning of 'the result of much excited and voluble discussion'..."
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans Brabbelwog, Flabberjak
- Brabbelwogfantastical monster
- Flabberjakfantastical monster
Catalan Borboterum, Endraper
- Borboterumfantastical monster
- Endraperfantastical monster
Czech Žvahlav, Tlachapoud
- Žvahlavfantastical monster
- Tlachapoudfantastical monster
Danish Kloppervok
- Kloppervokfantastical monster
Dutch Krakelwok, Wauwelwok
- Krakelwokfantastical monster
- Wauwelwokfantastical monster
- Koeterwaalfantastical monster
Esperanto Ĵargonbesto
- Ĵargonbestofantastical monster
Estonian Jorruline
- Jorrulinefantastical monster
Finnish Pekoraali
- Pekoraalifantastical monster
French Jaseroque, Bredoulochs
- Jaseroquefantastical monster
- Bredoulochsfantastical monster
- Berdouilleuxfantastical monster
German Zipferlak, Jammerwoch
- Zipferlakfantastical monster
- Jammerwochfantastical monster
- Plapperlochfantastical monster
- Schepperwockfantastical monster
- Schebberrochfantastical monster
- Schlabberworkfantastical monster
- Brabbelbackfantastical monster
Hungarian Szajkóhukk
- Szajkóhukkfantastical monster
Italian Ciciarampa, Ciarlestrone
- Ciciarampafantastical monster
- Ciarlestronefantastical monster
Latin Gaberbocchus, Gabrobocchia
- Gaberbocchusfantastical monster
- Gabrobocchiafantastical monster
- Iabervogasfantastical monster
- Iabrocusfantastical monster
- Iubavocusfantastical monster
Norwegian Dromeparden, Jabbervakken
- Dromepardenfantastical monster
- Jabbervakkenfantastical monster
- Javraljaussirfantastical monster
- Jabberokkfantastical monster
Polish Dziaberliada, Żabrołak
- Dziaberliadafantastical monster
- Żabrołakfantastical monster
- Dziaberlakfantastical monster
- Dżabbersmokfantastical monster
- Dżabrokłapfantastical monster
- Żubrowołkfantastical monster
- Dziwolękifantastical monster
Portuguese Jaguadarte
- Jaguadartefantastical monster
Romanian Trăncăvici, Bâzdâboc
- Trăncăvicifantastical monster
- Bâzdâbocfantastical monster
Russian Бармаглот
- Бармаглот (Barmaglot)fantastical monster
Slovak Taradúr
- Taradúrfantastical monster
Spanish Fablistanón, Galimatazo
- Fablistanónfantastical monster
- Galimatazofantastical monster
- Guirigayfantastical monster
- Jerigóndorfantastical monster
Swedish Tjatterskott, Tjatterslån
- Tjatterskottfantastical monster
- Tjatterslånfantastical monster
Ukrainian Бурмоковт
- Бурмоковт (Burmokovt)fantastical monster
Welsh Siaberwoc
- Siaberwocfantastical monster
Cite this entry
Jabberwock. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jabberwock
“Jabberwock.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jabberwock. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Jabberwock,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jabberwock.
Source: Jabberwock on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.