Humbug
/ˈhʌm.bʌɡ/noun
Deceptive or exaggerated talk or behavior; a fraud or sham.
Did you know?The exact origin of *humbug* is uncertain, but it appears in 18th-century slang as a term for a trick or deception, and by Dickens’s time it had become a famous word for calling out fraud.
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
English
humbug
“Slang for a trick, hoax, or deception.”
1750s
English
humbug
“A deceptive story, prank, or fraud.”
19th Century
English
humbug
“A sham, imposture, or nonsense; famously used by Ebenezer Scrooge.”
Modern English
English
humbug
“Deceptive or pretentious nonsense; a fraud or sham.”