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The Mavens' Word of the Day (332 words) |
 | Well, the bunkum story cites a very specific time and place for the origin of the term, a rare thing in the world of etymologies. |
| There is another adjective bunkum (also spelled buncombe) of uncertain origin that means 'first rate' or 'strong.' This bunkum was common as early as the 1830s, as in Military & Naval Magazine's 1832 issue 3.24: "My companions caused to be put up in parcels, a quantity of candy and cakes; for. |
| Other, more common, words related to the 'claptrap nonsense' bunkum (or possibly to bunco) are bunk, as in: "If you fall for this bunk, you're a simp" (Jackson & Heller, Criminal Slang, 1914) and debunk. |
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