: a tall spiny long-lived desert tree (Fouquieria columnaris synonym Idria columnaris) native to northwestern Mexico and related to the ocotillo
Examples of boojum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As Lewis Carroll might have said, outliving the snark is one way to never become your own boojum.
—
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 29 July 2022
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 29 July 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boojum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
perhaps from boojum, an imaginary creature in The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll; from its grotesque appearance
First Known Use
1951, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near boojum
Cite this Entry
“Boojum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boojum. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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