The word this week: WONDERCLOUT

 

A rather curious 16th c. word "wonderclout" defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "a thing that is showy but useless" but its history is what is intriguing.

 

Early descriptions strongly suggests it referred originally to someone given to too much talking, but it seems to have broadened to general puffery.

 

Wonderclout would seem to have clear applications in political life or certain radio personalities, in whatever meaning!