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Where does the word "poppycock" come from? It comes from Dutch pappekak, and was adopted directly into English (1860s).
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Where does the word "poppycock" come from? It comes from Dutch pappekak, and was adopted directly into English (1860s).
Poppycock’s story begins in Dutch: pappekak meant “soft dung.” A crude dialect compound, 'pap' soft food plus 'kak' dung. It reached English by 1860s as poppycock. Adopted in American English, where Dutch dialect lingered around New York. Today, poppycock means nonsense.
- Stage 1 · Dutch · 1800s pappekak "soft dung", a crude dialect compound, 'pap' soft food plus 'kak' dung.
- Stage 2 · English · 1860s poppycock "nonsense", adopted in American English, where Dutch dialect lingered around New York.