Fiddlefaddle
/ˈfɪd.əlˌfæd.əl/noun
Nonsense; foolish talk or behavior.
Did you know?Fiddlefaddle is a reduplicative nonsense word first recorded in English in the 17th century, one of many playful formations that show how English can turn sound itself into meaning.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
English
fiddle-faddle
“Nonsense, trifling talk or behavior”
Early Modern English
English
fiddle
“A playful or trivial term used in expressive reduplication”
Early Modern English
English
faddle
“A meaningless or trivial-sounding element in a playful phrase”
Modern English
English
fiddlefaddle
“Nonsense; foolish, trivial talk or conduct”
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