Jabberwocky

//ˈd͡ʒæbɚwɔki// adj, name, noun

adj, name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Invented or meaningless language; nonsense. uncountable, usually

    ""I like the way your mind works, Hosler," Stanley said. "You go after concrete proof of your contentions - none of this scientific jabborwocky.""

  2. 2
    nonsensical language (according to Lewis Carroll) wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    meaningless, worthless
  2. 2
    absurd, nonsense, nonsensical

    "Only the Pet Shop Boys can sing jabberwocky lines like “I thought I heard a train/Down in the cemetery/Cellophane” and make them sound sexy and evil."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A nonsensical poem that appears in Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll.

Synonyms

All synonyms
babbledrivelgibberishgobbledygookgreekjabber

Example

More examples

"His long-haired, blond, Teddy Bear hamster was called Jabberwocky."

Etymology

Etymology 1

The name of a nonsense poem from the children's book Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1872) by Lewis Carroll. Apparently based on the Jabberwock, the monster described therein, with the suffix -y in imitation of classical epics such as the Odyssey.

Etymology 2

From Jabberwocky, a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.