bunkum

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Senseless talk; nonsense; a piece of nonsense.

Register: dated, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

[…] the manifold and serpentine wiles and evasions, shufflings and fencings, deceits and dissimulations, he had practised —the bunkums and the quackeries, […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “bunkum” mean?

Senseless talk; nonsense; a piece of nonsense.

Is “bunkum” formal or informal?

bunkum is generally dated, slang.