gobbledygook

/ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/

//ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"gobbledygook" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gobbledygook” is uncommon English (frequency #99,317 among 2,313 “G” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#99,317
frequency rank, English
2,313
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.

Corpus desk

Index EN-gobbledygook · gobbledygook · English

gobbledygook · rank #99,317 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #99,317
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,313
  • PHOTO-FINISH GnT

Nearest frequency peer: GnT (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “gobbledygook”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “gobbledygook” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for gobbledygook
PropertyValue
Headwordgobbledygook
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/
Letters12
Frequency rank#99,317
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “gobbledygook” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).gobbledygookfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “GnT” (#99,316), “Goldsborough” (#99,318), “gnasher” (#99,315). Among 2,313 “G” headwords, “gobbledygook” is #99,317. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

gobbledygook is uncommon English at frequency #99,317 among 2,313 “G” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for gobbledygook in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in a memo by US Representative (Texas) Maury Maverick dated March 30, 1944, banning "gobbledygook language". Apparently coined in imitation of the sounds made by a turkey. The correct English form is gobbledygook, spelled G-O-B-B-L-E-D-Y-G-O-O-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.
  2. 2
    Something written in an overly complex, incoherent, or incomprehensible manner.

Etymology

First attested in a memo by US Representative (Texas) Maury Maverick dated March 30, 1944, banning "gobbledygook language". Apparently coined in imitation of the sounds made by a turkey.

This word in other languages

charabia(Français)Geschwafel(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gobbledygook"?
"gobbledygook" is spelled G-O-B-B-L-E-D-Y-G-O-O-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/.
What does "gobbledygook" mean?
As a noun, "gobbledygook" means: Nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.
How do you pronounce "gobbledygook"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gobbledygook" is /ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "gobbledygook"?
First attested in a memo by US Representative (Texas) Maury Maverick dated March 30, 1944, banning "gobbledygook language". Apparently coined in imitation of the sounds made by a turkey. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "gobbledygook", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Goldsborough#99,318homoeopathic#99,369Eratosthenes#99,229ketoconazole#99,445

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list