waggery

noun

wag·​gery ˈwa-gə-rē How to pronounce waggery (audio)
plural waggeries
1
: mischievous merriment : pleasantry
2
: jest
especially : practical joke

Examples of waggery in a Sentence

tossing lighted firecrackers around is not the kind of harmless waggery that it might seem Will Rogers' homespun waggeries struck a chord with audiences during the Great Depression.
Recent Examples on the Web To ask you to step into the parlor was Maggie’s favorite waggery, the divisions of her cabin being purely imaginary. Gertrude A. Zerr, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'waggery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of waggery was in 1594

Dictionary Entries Near waggery

Cite this Entry

“Waggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waggery. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

waggery

noun
wag·​gery ˈwag-ə-rē How to pronounce waggery (audio)
plural waggeries
1
: mischievous fun
2
: jest sense 1
especially : practical joke
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