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
1
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
1
Language, invented or real, that sounds meaningless or absurd.
"His technical explanation was pure jabberwocky to the rest of us."
adj
1
Nonsensical or meaningless.
"The contract was full of jabberwocky legal jargon."
How to use Jabberwocky
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPlayful nonsense language — named after Carroll's famous made-up-word poem.
Common pairings
pure jabberwocky
sounds like jabberwocky
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Word forms
- Plural
- jabberwockies
- Comparative
- more jabberwocky
- Superlative
- most jabberwocky
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
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".
Class of 1872
Jabberwocky joined the language around 1872.
See the full Class of 1872 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for Jabberwocky
See all rhymes for Jabberwocky →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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