nonsense

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a message that seems to convey no meaning
  2. noun ornamental objects of no great value
  3. adjective having no intelligible meaning

Etymology

From non- (“no, none, lack of”) + sense, from c. 1610. Compare the semantically similar West Frisian ûnsin (“nonsense”), Dutch onzin (“nonsense”), German Unsinn (“nonsense”), English unsense (“nonsense”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

bunk, nonsensicality, meaninglessness, hokum

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