wordmonger

[ wurd-mong-ger, -muhng- ]

noun
  1. a writer or speaker who uses words pretentiously or with careless disregard for meaning: We can't imagine a world without wordmongers who write worthless warranties and politicians who separate promise and performance.

  2. a writer or speaker who uses words and language skillfully: The cogs of language might be oiled by wordmongers in order to rescue them from neglect, even to retune and neologize, but ultimately no one can claim copyright of the common tongue.

Origin of wordmonger

1
First recorded in 1580–90; word + monger

Other words from wordmonger

  • word·mon·ger·ing, noun

Words Nearby wordmonger

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024