Pablum

proprietary name of a children's breakfast cereal, 1932; see pabulum.

also from 1932

Entries linking to Pablum

"food" for anything, "food" in its widest sense, "that which nourishes an animal or vegetable," 1670s, from Latin pabulum "fodder, food, nourishment," from PIE root *pa- "to feed" + instrumentive suffix *-dhlom. Related Pabular; pabulary. Blount's "Glossographia" (1656) has pabulous "pertaining to Fodder, Provender, Forrage, or meat for Beasts."

Pablum (1932), derived from this, is a trademark (Mead Johnson & Co.) for a soft, bland cereal used as a food for infants and weak and invalid persons, hence its figurative use (attested from 1970, first by U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew) in reference to "mushy" political prose.

Trends of Pablum

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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pap

"soft food for infants, gruel, porridge," late 14c., from Old French pape "watered gruel" and Medieval Latin papo, both from Latin pappa, a widespread word in children's language for "food" (compare Middle High German and Dutch pap, German Pappe, Spanish, Portuguese papa, Italian

cereal

1832, "grass yielding edible grain and cultivated for food," originally an adjective (1818) "having to do with edible grain," from French céréale (16c., "of Ceres;" 18c. in grain sense), from Latin Cerealis "of grain," originally "of Ceres," from Ceres, Italic goddess of agricult

architect

"person skilled in the art of building, one who plans and designs buildings and supervises their construction," 1560s, from French architecte, from Latin architectus, from Greek arkhitekton "master builder, director of works," from arkhi- "chief" (see archon) + tekton "builder, c

juxtaposition

"the act of placing or the state of being placed in nearness or contiguity," 1660s, from French juxtaposition (17c.), from Latin iuxta "beside, very near, close to, near at hand" + French position (see position (n.)). Latin iuxta is a contraction of *iugista (adv.), superlative o

apt

mid-14c., "inclined, disposed;" late 14c., "suited, fitted, adapted, possessing the necessary qualities for the purpose," from Old French ate "fitting, suitable, appropriate" (13c., Modern French apte), or directly from Latin aptus "fit, suited, proper, appropriate," adjectival u

alcohol

1540s (early 15c. as alcofol), "fine powder produced by sublimation," from Medieval Latin alcohol "powdered ore of antimony," from Arabic al-kuhul "kohl," the fine metallic powder used to darken the eyelids, from kahala "to stain, paint." The al- is the Arabic definite article, "

urban

"characteristic of city life, pertaining to cities or towns," 1610s (but rare before 1830s), from Latin urbanus "of or pertaining to a city or city life; in Rome," also "in city fashion, polished, refined, cultivated, courteous," but also sometimes "witty, facetious, bold, impude

vanity

c. 1200, "that which is vain, futile, or worthless," from Old French vanite "self-conceit; futility; lack of resolve" (12c.), from Latin vanitatem (nominative vanitas) "emptiness, aimlessness; falsity," figuratively "vainglory, foolish pride," from vanus "empty, void," figurative

February

month following January, late 14c., ultimately from Latin februarius mensis "month of purification," from februare "to purify," from februa "purifications, expiatory rites" (plural of februum "means of purification, expiatory offerings"), which is of uncertain origin, said to be

endure

late 14c., "to undergo or suffer" (especially without breaking); also "to continue in existence," from Old French endurer (12c.) "make hard, harden; bear, tolerate; keep up, maintain," from Latin indurare "make hard," in Late Latin "harden (the heart) against," from in- (from PIE

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updated on December 04, 2019

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Dictionary entries near Pablum

p.m.

p.o.v.

P.S.

*pa-

Pablum

pabulum

paca

pace

pacemaker

pacer