governmentese

noun

gov·​ern·​men·​tese ˌgə-vər-mən-ˈtēz How to pronounce governmentese (audio)
: jargon held to be characteristic of government officials

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of governmentese was in 1907

Dictionary Entries Near governmentese

Cite this Entry

“Governmentese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/governmentese. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on governmentese

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!