veeblefetzer

jargon /vee'b*l-fetz'*/ (Or "veeblefeetzer"?) A purposely

nonsensical sounding word applied to any sort of obscure or

complicated object, e.g. a piece of computer code, model

railroad equipment, auto parts, etc.

The more immediate origin of the word is "Mad" Magazine. In

the late 1950s and early 1960s it used the word along the same

lines, especially in its send-ups of big business. "North

American Veeblefetzer" was the subject of satires of an annual

reports, an in-house newsletter, and more. A Veeblefetzer, in

their case, was a robot-like device that did something or

other.

The more distant source was probably a 19th century yiddish

word, possibly with limited usage. In German, "Fetzer" is any

contraption, while "Veeble" is a likely corruption of "Webel"

-- meaning weaving. Textile mills of this period were crammed

with very complicated, wildly active and very loud pieces of

machinery.

See also veeblefester.

[veeblefeetzer or veeblefetzer?]

(1996-03-31)