quack

¹

[ kwak ]

noun

1. the harsh, throaty cry of a duck or any similar sound.

verb (used without object)

1. to utter the cry of a duck or a sound resembling it.

quack

²

[ kwak ]

noun

1. a fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill:

   Desperation for a cure led her to a quack who took her money.

2. a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, knowledge, or qualifications they do not possess; a charlatan.

   Synonyms: phony, mountebank

adjective

1. being a fraudulent or ignorant pretender to skills, especially medical skills:

   He's just a quack psychologist who complicates everyone's problems.

2. presented falsely as having curative powers:

   quack medicine.

3. of, relating to, or befitting a quack or quackery:

   Her quack methods have helped no one.

verb (used with object)

1. to treat in the manner of a fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill.
2. to advertise or sell with fraudulent claims.

quack

¹

/ kwæk /

noun

1. 1. an unqualified person who claims medical knowledge or other skills
   2. ( as modifier )

      a quack doctor

2. informal.
   a doctor; physician or surgeon

verb

1. intr to act in the manner of a quack

quack

²

/ kwæk /

verb

1. (of a duck) to utter a harsh guttural sound
2. to make a noise like a duck

noun

1. the harsh guttural sound made by a duck

Derived Forms

• ˈquackish, adjective

Other Words From

• quack·ish adjective
• quack·ish·ly adverb
• quack·ish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of quack¹

First recorded in 1570–80; imitative; compare Dutch kwakken, German quacken

Origin of quack²

First recorded in 1630–40; short for quacksalver

Word History and Origins

Origin of quack¹

C17: short for quacksalver

Origin of quack²

C17: of imitative origin; related to Dutch kwakken, German quacken

Example Sentences

For example, an Instagram search on healthy eating can bring up links for quack diets or sites promoting disordered eating habits.

From Science News For Students

Their conspiracy theorists and quack cure purveyors were kept at the fringes, not given nightly forums on national television.

From Washington Post

Once a new queen emerges, she stops quacking and starts tooting.

From Science News For Students

Extraordinary things occurred the last time Republicans took legislative power away from a liberal quack.

From The Daily Beast

Humor and historical distance allow me to illustrate how a quack operates in a way that I could not with a contemporary example.

From The Daily Beast

Many people quote quack “scientists” in a desperate attempt to deny climate change and our role in it.

From The Daily Beast

What matters is that race evolved into the Avoca Quack-Off, one of Nebraska's quirkiest -- or quackiest -- winter events.

From The Daily Beast

Google his name, and the top two related searches come up as “Daniel Amen scam” and “Daniel Amen quack.”

From The Daily Beast

If you find a physician opposed to the use of antitoxin this simply means that he is a quack.

From Project Gutenberg

No, I'm only going to save the reputation of AEsculapius by giving him a prescription got from a quack to give to a goose.

From Project Gutenberg

"Only a quack medical concern looking for a stall to impress their come-ons," explained Waldemar.

From Project Gutenberg

"I'll have my lawyer draw up a form of contract and mail it after you to-morrow," promised the quack with a crafty look.

From Project Gutenberg

Why, I assumed that your quest of the quack's scion would have trained you down fit for anything.

From Project Gutenberg