metagrobolism

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noun

Concealment, mystification, obfuscation.

OriginMiddle French matagrabolisme ← Ancient Greek μάταιος →
Scrabble 20
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Meanings

nounmetagrobolism (uncountable)
  1. humorousrareuncountableConcealment, mystification, obfuscation.

    [A]ll the autonomatic metagrobolism of the Romish Church, when tottering and emblustricated with the gibble-gabble gibberish of this odious error and heresy, is homocentrically poised.

    1653, François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekμάταιος“vain, futile”
  2. Middle Frenchmatagrabolisme
  3. Englishmetagrobolism

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.

More words from Middle French, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

metagrobolism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metagrobolism

MLA

“metagrobolism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metagrobolism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “metagrobolism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metagrobolism.

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