noun
Pinocchio
pih-NOH-kyoh
noun
1
A person who lies frequently, referencing the storybook character whose nose grew when he lied.
"His growing excuses made him sound like a real Pinocchio."
How to Use Pinocchio
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA nickname for a habitual liar, borrowed from the fairy-tale puppet with the growing nose.
When to use it
Used informally and often humorously, rather than as a serious accusation.
Word Forms
Pinocchios plural
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Etymology
From the title character of Carlo Collodi's 1883 story The Adventures of Pinocchio, a wooden puppet whose nose grew whenever he told a lie.