yarmouth capon

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

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A bloater, or red herring.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

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

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A red herring: Yarmouth is a famous place for curing herrings.

Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Sense 3

Meaning · English

a bloater, or red herring.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “yarmouth capon” mean?

A bloater, or red herring.

Is “yarmouth capon” formal or informal?

yarmouth capon is generally slang.