nonsense syllable

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noun Psychology.

any of numerous letter combinations without meaning, used in learning experiments.

QUIZ

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Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

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Origin of nonsense syllable

First recorded in 1885–90

Words nearby nonsense syllable

nonselective, nonself, nonself-antigen, nonsense, nonsense correlation, nonsense syllable, nonsense triplet, nonsense verse, nonsensical, non seq., non sequitur

How to use nonsense syllable in a sentence

The extending out of one syllable is a great songwriting device.
Yes, I Like Christmas Music. Stop Laughing.|Michael Tomasky|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The academic, historic, and geopolitical nonsense that Khomeinism equals Iran has lasted long enough.
The Nuclear Deal That Iran’s Regime Fears Most|Djavad Khadem|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the author of The Beauty Myth has become a nonsense-garbling conspiracy theorist.
From ISIS to Ebola, What Has Made Naomi Wolf So Paranoid?|Michael Moynihan|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In those early days, no-nonsense Anna was a full partner in the business.
‘The Harness Maker’s Dream:’ The Unlikely Ranch King of Texas|Nick Kotz|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A country that is serious about health reform would not take a limited, valued resource and waste it on nonsense like this.
Why Your Doctor Feels Like a 'Beaten Dog'|Daniela Drake|September 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Allcraft winced, as every syllable made known the speaker's actual strength—his own dependence and utter weakness.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
He placed the paper on the table, and, ere he read a syllable, he laboured to compose himself.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
He spoke with an animation and earnestness that gave an exaggerated importance to every syllable he uttered.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
In some English schools the first syllable in “panis” sounds “pan,” in others “pain.”
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
David had replied, in that short tone of self-sufficiency which conveys so much more than the syllable would seem to warrant.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for nonsense syllable

nonsense syllable

noun

psychol a syllable, like bik, having no meaning. Lists of such syllables have been used to investigate memory and learning

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