Mountebank
/ˈmaʊnt.bæŋk/noun
A charlatan or fraud who deceives people, especially one who sells fake remedies or promises.
Did you know?Mountebank comes from Italian *montambanco*, a showman who would mount a bench in the marketplace to hawk fake cures, turning public performance into early-stage deception.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Italian
montambanco
“A quack doctor or showman who mounted a bench to advertise remedies”
16th Century
Italian
montare + banco
“Literally, 'to mount a bench'”
Late 16th Century
English
mountebank
“A rogue doctor or stage quack who advertised medicines in public”
Modern English
English
mountebank
“A deceitful pretender or charlatan”
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