mumbo-jumbo
boʊ ˈdʒʌm noun, plural mum·bo jum·bos.
1.
meaningless incantation or ritual.
2.
senseless or pretentious language, usually designed to obscure an issue, confuse a listener, or the like.
3.
an object of superstitious awe or reverence.
4.
( initial capital letters ) the guardian of western Sudan villages symbolized by a masked man who combats evil and punishes women for breaches of tribal laws.
Origin:
1730–40; of disputed orig.
1730–40; of disputed orig.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To mumbo-jumbo
00:10
Mumbo-jumbo
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
mumbo jumbo (ˈmʌmbəʊ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl mumbo jumbos | |
| 1. | foolish religious reverence, ritual, or incantation |
| 2. | meaningless or unnecessarily complicated language |
| 3. | an object of superstitious awe or reverence |
| [C18: probably from Mandingo mama dyumbo, name of a tribal god] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
mumbo jumbo
1738, name of an idol supposedly worshipped by certain tribes in Africa; said to be a corruption of words in Mandingo (one version is Mama Dyumbo), but no likely source has been found in the languages of the Niger region, to which the original accounts relate. Meaning "big, empty talk" is attested from
1896.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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