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marplot

American  
[mahr-plot] / ˈmɑrˌplɒt /

noun

  1. a person who mars or defeats a plot, design, or project by meddling.


Etymology

Origin of marplot

First recorded in 1700–10; mar + plot. Marplot was a character in a farce, The Busie Body (1709), by Susanna Centlivre, circa1667–1723, English actress, poet, and playwright

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Humpty is Puss’ childhood frenemy: pal, rival and seemingly inept marplot to our hero’s suave efficiency in a crisis.

From Time • Oct. 28, 2011

Sporting heiress airs, a cruel gash of lipstick and a series of killer frocks in the 1948 A Date with Judy, Taylor plays snooty Carol, the marplot to Jane Powell's swell-town girl.

From Time • Apr. 14, 2011

Sporting heiress airs, a cruel gash of lipstick and a series of killer frocks in the 1948 A Date With Judy, Taylor has the role of snooty Carol, the marplot to Jane Powell's swell-town girl.

From Time • Mar. 23, 2011

Woodrow Wilson, often his foe, called him a marplot.

From Time Magazine Archive

Oh, sire!" said the admiral, "Queen Catharine"— "Is a marplot.

From Marguerite de Valois by Dumas père, Alexandre