mumbo jumbo
See also: mumbo-jumbo
English
Alternative forms
- mumbo-jumbo
Etymology
Probably from Mandinka maamajomboo (“mask; masked dancer”); or perhaps from /l/-vocalization in the words "mumble" and "jumble".
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /mʌmbəʊˈdʒʌmbəʊ/
Noun
mumbo jumbo (countable and uncountable, plural mumbo jumbos)
- (historical) A deity or other supernatural being said to have been worshipped by certain West African peoples; an idol.
- (religion) Any object of superstition; religious words and/or actions which are seen as superstitious or fraudulent.
- Rev. Quack's healing services are little more than mumbo jumbo.
- Any confusing or meaningless speech; nonsense, gibberish.
- Football lingo is mumbo jumbo to me.
- There were a bunch of foreigners speaking their Mumbo Jumbo clustered ahead of me at Customs.
Synonyms
- See Thesaurus:nonsense
Translations
meaningless speech
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