gibberish

noun

gib·​ber·​ish ˈji-brish How to pronounce gibberish (audio) ˈji-bə-rish How to pronounce gibberish (audio)
ˈgi-
: unintelligible or meaningless language:
a
: a technical or esoteric (see esoteric sense 1) language
The doctors spoke to one another in their medical gibberish that I was unable to follow.
b
: pretentious or needlessly obscure language
The substance of the philosopher's work is buried in polysyllabic gibberish.

Examples of gibberish in a Sentence

She was talking gibberish in her sleep. was so excited he could only talk gibberish
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Teachers have banned it from the classroom after kids disrupted lessons by reciting its signature gibberish, Parents reports. Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025 In 2023, Voyager 1 started sending gibberish from deep space, but that issue was resolved last year. Scott Neuman, NPR, 20 May 2025 Next to Margaret, one of the two angels holds a book of song, once thought to be a hymn by the English composer Walter Frye but now identified as musical gibberish. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 May 2025 Furtado, with a similar penchant for stretching out vowels and embracing gibberish, does the same with Elliott here, at times shrill but still compelling. 73. Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gibberish

Word History

Etymology

probably from gibber

First Known Use

circa 1554, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gibberish was circa 1554

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gibberish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gibberish. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

gibberish

noun
gib·​ber·​ish ˈjib-(ə-)rish How to pronounce gibberish (audio) ˈgib- How to pronounce gibberish (audio)
: confused meaningless talk

More from Merriam-Webster on gibberish

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