flummery

[ fluhm-uh-ree ]

noun

, plural flum·mer·ies.

1. oatmeal or flour boiled with water until thick.
2. fruit custard or blancmange usually thickened with cornstarch.
3. any of various dishes made of flour, milk, eggs, sugar, etc.
4. complete nonsense; foolish humbug.

flummery

/ ˈflʌmərɪ /

noun

1. informal.
   meaningless flattery; nonsense
2. a cold pudding of oatmeal, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of flummery¹

1615–25; < Welsh llymru, with ending assimilated to -ery

Word History and Origins

Origin of flummery¹

C17: from Welsh llymru

Example Sentences

All of this flummery is going to irritate another part of a modern state opening of Parliament - anti-monarchy protesters who believe that such royal involvement should be removed from a democracy.

From BBC

Look carefully and some guide to the reign to come will be seen behind the flummery and pomp.

From BBC

And it raises the question of whether a brand can succeed simply by presenting the goods, without flummery.

From New York Times

"But he really just wanted to cut through all the flummery and get people to see him for what he was."

From Fox News

In his biography, Andrew Morton wrote that Diana was “deeply disenchanted with the protocol, the flummery and the artifice” of the family, and “the brittle formality” of royal life.

From New York Times

Related Words

• levity