gobbledygook

Name: gobbledygook, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/

//ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“gobbledygook” is an uncommon English word, ranked #99,317 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#99,317
frequency rank, English: 12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.

Key facts for gobbledygook
Property	Value
Headword	gobbledygook
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/
Letters	12
Frequency rank	#99,317
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gobbledygook” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). gobbledygook lands here:

#99,317

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for gobbledygook is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/. Corpus data places it at rank #99,317 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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
Nonsense; meaningless or encrypted language.
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.

Using “gobbledygook”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is G-O-B-B-L-E-D-Y-G-O-O-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈɡɒb(ə)ldɪˌɡuːk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.