psittacism

[ sit-uh-siz-uhm ]

noun

1. mechanical, repetitive, and meaningless speech.

Other Words From

• psitta·cistic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of psittacism¹

1895–1900; < Latin psittac ( us ) parrot ( psittacosis ) + -ism

Example Sentences

It is easy to affirm this separation, thanks to the psittacism of the words, which are here used like counterfeit coin, but we cannot represent it to ourselves, for it corresponds to nothing.

From Project Gutenberg

Dr. Kuyper seems to me to be suffering from that terrible intellectual malady psittacism when he exclaims:— "Arbitration is the mot d'ordre of modern civilisation." and he adds:— "As if arbitration were not the rule between masters and workmen."

From Project Gutenberg