humbug
|hum-bug|
/ˈhʌm.bʌɡ/
deceptive nonsense
Etymology
'humbug' originates from English, probably a compound of 'hum' and 'bug', where 'hum' was used in senses related to tricking or pretense and 'bug' meant a frightening thing or bogey.
'humbug' developed in mid-18th-century colloquial English as the compound 'hum-bug' and soon entered wider usage meaning 'deceptive trick' or 'imposture'.
Initially, it meant 'a deceptive trick or imposture', but over time it broadened to include 'insincere talk' or general 'nonsense' and even became an interjection expressing contempt ('Bah! Humbug!').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a hoax, deception, or a trick intended to cheat or mislead.
The whole scheme turned out to be a humbug.
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Noun 2
insincere or pretentious talk; nonsense or empty rhetoric.
He dismissed the sales pitch as pure humbug.
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Noun 3
a person who deceives or tricks others; a charlatan or impostor.
Don't trust him — he's a humbug.
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Verb 1
to deceive, trick, or impose upon someone (usually transitive).
They humbugged investors out of millions.
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Last updated: 2026/01/10 11:44