Nonsense

How to spell nonsense

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce nonsense

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does nonsense mean?

1. nounWords or ideas that have no meaning, or behaviour that is foolish or unacceptable.

Nonsense in a sentence

• The contract was full of legal nonsense that nobody could follow.

• The manager refused to tolerate any more nonsense in the warehouse.

Where does nonsense come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word is a straightforward compound built from the prefix non-, meaning 'not', joined to the noun 'sense'. The 'sense' part traces back to the Latin sensus, 'the faculty of perceiving or feeling', which itself derives from the verb sentire, 'to feel or perceive'. English borrowed 'sense' through Old French during the late Middle Ages, and by the early 1600s writers were attaching non- to coin 'nonsense' for talk or writing that carried no meaning at all. Because the word literally announces an absence of sense, it kept a single, transparent spelling with no silent surprises. The same Latin root sentire also gives us 'sentence', 'sentiment', and 'consent', all sharing that idea of feeling or perceiving.

How the word is built

• non- (not)
• sense (meaning, from Latin sensus)