English Explanatory Dictionary

boondoggle

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A braided ring to hold a neckerchief.
  2. A waste of time or money; a pointless activity.
  3. A trip or journey, especially a recreational or otherwise desirable one.
  4. A non-work trip away from a research station.
verb
  1. To waste time on a pointless activity.

Pronunciation

/ˈbuːndɒɡl̩/ /ˈbundɑɡəl/ en-us-boondoggle.ogg

Word forms

boondoggle boondoggles boondoggling boondoggled

Etymology

Coined by American scout leader Robert H. Link in 1929; alternatively “boon doggle”. Compare woggle of similar sense, which is attested in the same period. In the sense of a “wasteful government program”, popularized in 1935 by The New York Times, in reference to New Deal programs which were claimed to feature people making such braids.

Synonyms

woggle

Derived words

boondoggler moondoggle
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