nonsense syllable

noun

, Psychology.

1. any of numerous letter combinations without meaning, used in learning experiments.

nonsense syllable

noun

1. psychol a syllable, like bik, having no meaning. Lists of such syllables have been used to investigate memory and learning

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonsense syllable¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Schwitters himself always insisted that Merz was a nonsense syllable, derived from a phrase from an advertisement for the "Kommerz und Privatbank."

From Time Magazine Archive