poppycock English · revision 1946

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpɒpikɒk/ ''(UK)''; /ˈpɑpiˌkɑk/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably [[bor|nl|pappekak|t=soft dung]] in dialect,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from Middle Dutch ''pappe'' “soft food, pap”^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) and ''kak'' “dung”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''kakken'' “to defecate”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995) [[der|la|cacare|t=to defecate]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[pap]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nonsense, rubbish, humbug (1865, American English).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word entered American English from Dutch dialect^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) and has always meant empty or foolish talk.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) Random House dates it earlier, to 1840–50.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1840–50 – first recorded (Random House).^(RHWU)

+ * 1865 – nonsense.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Senseless or empty talk or writing; nonsense.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[poppycockish]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pap]]

+ * [[balderdash]]

+ * [[bunkum]]

+ * [[hogwash]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}