metagrobolism
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English
Etymology
Coined in translation of Rabelais' works, from Middle French matagrabolisme, from matagraboliser (“mystify”). The first element is from Ancient Greek μάταιος (mátaios, “vain, futile”), but altered to assimilate to the prefix meta-.
Noun
metagrobolism (uncountable)
- (humorous, rare) Concealment, mystification, obfuscation.
- 1653, François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel:
- [A]ll the autonomatic metagrobolism of the Romish Church, when tottering and emblustricated with the gibble-gabble gibberish of this odious error and heresy, is homocentrically poised.
Related terms
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from Middle French
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English terms prefixed with meta-
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English humorous terms
- English terms with rare senses
- English terms with quotations
- English terms suffixed with -ism