balderdash (English)

Where does "balderdash" come from?

The origin of 'balderdash' remains a mystery, though it first appeared in English during the late 16th century as a term for a chaotic, worthless mixture of different drinks. Over time, the word's meaning shifted from describing messy liquids to describing messy ideas, eventually coming to represent any form of senseless talk or nonsense.

Full etymology tree

• balderdash (English), 'Senseless talk or writing; nonsense.'
  • derived unknown origin (English)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris