Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Something apparently impressive or legitimate but actually untrue or insincere; nonsense.
  • noun A stock technique for eliciting a desired response from an audience.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Meaningless nonsense with an outward appearance of being impressive and legitimate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a message that seems to convey no meaning

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Perhaps ho(cus-pocus) + (bun)kum.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Blend of hocus-pocus and bunkum

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Examples

Comments

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  • n. Flattery, insincerity; nonsense, bunk, blah.

    Any stage devise used purely to please the audience, any proven song, joke, or line sure to elicit the desired response. Proven but hackneyed or trite material used in the theatre.

    Cheap, sugary candy, shoddy souvenirs, any useless item such as is sold at carnival booths.

    July 16, 2008

  • Ufff, WeirdNet (2) strikes again.

    September 13, 2008