nonsense
UK: /ˈnɒns(ə)ns/ | US: /ˈnɑːnsens/
n. spoken or written words that have no meaning or make no sense
n. foolish or unacceptable behavior
n. something considered trivial or unimportant
The word "nonsense" emerged in the early 15th century from the combination of the prefix "non-" (derived from Latin "non," meaning "not") and the root "sense" (from Latin "sensus," meaning "perception, meaning"). It originally described statements or ideas lacking logical meaning. Over time, it expanded to include absurd behavior or trivial matters. The pairing of "non-" and "sense" creates a direct negation, making the word intuitive and memorable.
His explanation was pure nonsense and didn’t answer the question.
Stop talking nonsense and focus on the real issue.
The policy was criticized as bureaucratic nonsense.
She dismissed the rumor as complete nonsense.
The children giggled at the nonsense rhymes in the poem.