definitions

hokum

[ hoh-kuh m ]
/ ˈhoʊ kəm /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR hokum ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

out-and-out nonsense; bunkum.
elements of low comedy introduced into a play, novel, etc., for the laughs they may bring.
sentimental matter of an elementary or stereotyped kind introduced into a play or the like.
false or irrelevant material introduced into a speech, essay, etc., in order to arouse interest, excitement, or amusement.

Nearby words

hokiang, hokinson, hokkaido, hokku, hokonui, hokum, hokusai, hol hamoed, hol-, hola, holandric

Origin of hokum

1915–20, Americanism; probably blend of hocus-pocus and bunkum
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for hokum

  • Ye see, Hokum he got thirty-seven cents' worth o' lemons and sperit.

    Oldtown Fireside Stories|Harriet Beecher Stowe

  • Senator Gonzales was fond of the Society's crackpot receptionist, and he knew exactly what kind of hokum would please her most.

    Psichopath|Gordon Randall Garrett

British Dictionary definitions for hokum

hokum

/ (ˈhəʊkəm) /

noun slang

claptrap; bunk
obvious or hackneyed material of a sentimental nature in a play, film, etc

Word Origin for hokum

C20: probably a blend of hocus-pocus and bunkum
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012