mountebank
|moun-te-bank|
/ˈmaʊntɪbæŋk/
showy fraud
Etymology
'mountebank' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'montambanco' or 'montimbanco,' where 'montare' meant 'to mount' and 'banco' meant 'bench'.
'mountebank' changed from Italian 'montambanco' into early modern English forms such as 'montem-banke' or 'mountebanck' and eventually became the modern English 'mountebank'.
Initially, it meant 'one who mounted a bench to sell medicines or perform tricks,' but over time it evolved into the current meaning of 'a charlatan or flamboyant deceiver'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a charlatan who sells quack medicines or cures, typically using theatrical tricks and boasting to deceive an audience.
The traveling mountebank promised a miracle cure for every ailment, drawing a crowd with loud boasts.
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Noun 2
a flamboyant deceiver or pretender — someone who gains attention by dishonest or showy behavior, not necessarily selling medicines.
Many critics dismissed the politician as a mountebank who cared more for spectacle than substance.
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Last updated: 2026/01/07 15:46