gobbledygook

G2O1B3B3L1E1D2Y4G2O1O1K5
/ˈɡɒbəldɪˌɡuːk//ˈɡɑːbəldɪˌɡuːk//-di-//-ɡʊk/

noun

Nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.

UncommonScrabble 26
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Meanings

noungobbledygook (usually uncountable, plural gobbledygooks)

plural gobbledygooks · alternative gobbledegook · alternative gobblygook · alternative garbley gook · alternative gobbly-gook

  1. informaluncountableusuallyNonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.
  2. informaluncountableusuallySomething written in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
bafflegabdouble dutchgashnonsense

Origin

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.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian безсмислица, празнословие
  • безсмислица (bezsmislica)nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • празнословие (praznoslovie)nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • сложнотия (složnotija)something written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
Chinese Mandarin 天書 /天书
  • 天書 /天书 (tiānshū)nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Czech hatmatilka
  • hatmatilkanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Danish bavl, kaudervælsk
  • bavlnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • kaudervælsknonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • sluddernonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • vrøvlnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Dutch koeterwaals
  • koeterwaalsnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Esperanto galimatio
  • galimationonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Finnish liirumlaarum, diibadaaba
  • liirumlaarumnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • diibadaabanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • hölynpölynonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • kapulakielisomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
French charabia, gloubi-boulga
  • charabianonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • gloubi-boulganonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • galimatiassomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
German Geschwafel, Kauderwelsch
  • Geschwafelnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • Kauderwelschnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • Gibberischnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • Gromolononsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • Fachchinesischsomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
  • geschwollenes Zeugsomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
  • aufgeblasenes Gesülzesomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
Hungarian halandzsa, maszlag
  • halandzsanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • maszlagnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • blablanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • hadovanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • hablatynonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • bikkfanyelvsomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
Indonesian bahasa planet, bahasa dewa
  • bahasa planetnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • bahasa dewasomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
Italian fesserie, sciocchezze
  • fesserienonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • sciocchezzenonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • supercazzolanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • idiozienonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • fuffanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • latinorumnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • burocratesesomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
Japanese 珍紛漢紛
  • 珍紛漢紛 (chinpunkanpun)nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Latin ineptiae, dēlīrāmentum
  • ineptiaenonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • dēlīrāmentumnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Māori reo kihi, reo kihi
  • reo kihinonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • reo kihisomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
Norwegian Bokmål tullprat, vrøvl
  • tullpratnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • vrøvlnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Norwegian Nynorsk kaudervelsk, galimatias
  • kaudervelsknonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • galimatiasnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Polish bełkot
  • bełkotnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Portuguese algaravia
  • algaravianonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Russian галиматья́
  • галиматья́ (galimatʹjá)nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
Swedish gallimatias, rappakalja
  • gallimatiasnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • rappakaljanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • dravelnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • struntpratnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • gojanonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • struntnonsense; meaningless or encrypted language
  • fikonspråksomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
  • högtravande kanslistilsomething written or said in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner
Cite this entry
APA

gobbledygook. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gobbledygook

MLA

“gobbledygook.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gobbledygook. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gobbledygook,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gobbledygook.

Source: gobbledygook on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.