jabberwocky
Meaningless made-up words
Jabberwocky refers to nonsensical or meaningless language, especially invented words that sound like they could mean something: The contract was full of legal jabberwocky.
The term comes from Lewis Carroll's 1871 poem of the same name, which featured invented words like "brillig" and "slithy" that somehow felt meaningful despite having no real definitions. (Capitalized Jabberwocky is the poem itself.)
Unintelligible speech or writing
- gobbledygookPretentious unintelligible language
- balderdashSenseless talk or writing
- drivelSenseless, silly talk
- babbleIncoherent speech
mumbo-jumbo · twaddle · poppycock · blather · claptrap · hogwash · bunkum · piffle
Inclined toward fun
- fancifulImaginatively unrealistic
- quirkyIdiosyncratically unusual
- zanyAmusingly absurd
- absurdWildly illogical
surreal · lighthearted · eccentric · kooky · offbeat · fantastical · imaginative · capricious
gibberish
Unintelligible speech or writing
- gobbledygookPretentious unintelligible language
- balderdashSenseless talk or writing
- drivelSenseless, silly talk
babble · mumbo-jumbo · twaddle · poppycock · blather · claptrap · hogwash · bunkum · piffle · codswallop
playful
Inclined toward fun
absurd · surreal · lighthearted · eccentric · kooky · offbeat · fantastical · imaginative · capricious · droll
- nonsensenonsense, absurd, gibberish, gobbledegook, gobbledygook
- Whimsy Wordsgobbledygook, gibberish, mumbo jumbo, hogwash, balderdash
- Famous Poetrynevermore, to be or not to be, road not taken, daffodils, Kubla Khan
- invented speechgibberish, gobbledygook, double-talk, mumbo jumbo, babble
jabberwockysense
Perception or judgment
clarity · lucidity · plain English · clear speech · coherence
jabberwockyfact
Verifiable piece of information
hard facts · truth · reality · nonfiction · plain truth
jabberwockyformal language
Elevated, rule-governed expression
technical writing · legal language · scientific terminology · proper grammar · diplomatic language