name

Jabberwocky

JAB-waw-kee

Jabberwocky (name) means the title of a famous nonsense poem in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass", built almost entirely from invented words. Example: “She quoted the opening line of Jabberwocky: "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves...”

name

The title of a famous nonsense poem in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass", built almost entirely from invented words.

"She quoted the opening line of Jabberwocky: "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves...""

noun

Language, invented or real, that sounds meaningless or absurd.

"His technical explanation was pure jabberwocky to the rest of us."

adj

Nonsensical or meaningless.

"The contract was full of jabberwocky legal jargon."

How to use Jabberwocky

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPlayful nonsense language — named after Carroll's famous made-up-word poem.

Common pairings

pure jabberwocky sounds like jabberwocky

Word forms

more jabberwocky comparative, jabberwockies plural, most jabberwocky superlative

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She quoted the opening line of _____: "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves..."

Etymology

Coined by Lewis Carroll for his 1872 poem, named after the fictional monster "the Jabberwock", with an ending styled after classic epic titles like "the Odyssey".

· First attested 1872

Class of 1872 Jabberwocky joined the language around 1872.

benzene vaseline

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Rhymes for Jabberwocky

rocky cocky stocky

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Jabberwocky” mean?

The word “Jabberwocky” means the title of a famous nonsense poem in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass", built almost entirely from invented words. In plain terms, playful nonsense language — named after Carroll's famous made-up-word poem.

How do you pronounce “Jabberwocky”?

“Jabberwocky” is pronounced JAB-waw-kee (/ˈd͡ʒæbɚwɔki/ in IPA).

How do you use “Jabberwocky” in a sentence?

Here is “Jabberwocky” used in a sentence: “She quoted the opening line of Jabberwocky: "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves...".”

What part of speech is “Jabberwocky”?

Depending on how it is used, “Jabberwocky” can be a name, a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “Jabberwocky” come from?

The word “Jabberwocky” dates back to around 1872. Coined by Lewis Carroll for his 1872 poem, named after the fictional monster "the Jabberwock", with an ending styled after classic epic titles like "the Odyssey".

How many meanings does “Jabberwocky” have?

“Jabberwocky” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the title of a famous nonsense poem in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass", built almost entirely from invented words.

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