flib·ber·ti·gib·bet

(flĭb′ər-tē-jĭb′ĭt)

A silly, scatterbrained, or garrulous person.

[Middle English flipergebet.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

flibbertigibbet

(ˈflɪbətɪˌdʒɪbɪt)

an irresponsible, silly, or gossipy person

[C15: of uncertain origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

flib•ber•ti•gib•bet

(ˈflɪb ər tiˌdʒɪb ɪt)

n.

a chattering or flighty, lightheaded person.

[1425–75; late Middle English flepergebet, flipergebet; reduplicative compound of obscure orig.]

flib′ber•ti•gib`bet•y, adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

flibbertigibbet - a female fool

foolish woman

fool, muggins, saphead, tomfool, sap - a person who lacks good judgment

Translations

oca giuliva

gadułatrzpiotka

вертопрах

flibbertigibbet

[ˈflɪbətɪˈdʒɪbɪt] N → casquivana f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

flibbertigibbet

n → (junges) Gänschen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

His supposed masterstrokes backfired spectacularly, forcing insulted Conservatives to find their backbones and stand up to a political flibbertigibbet.

Why we are facing fight for very soul of the nation

That suits an actor's slightly flibbertigibbet nature.

Tears and standing ovation on the 'Game of Thrones' set in Ireland (part 2)

Don't expect your careers advisor to have all the answers because quite simply, unless they have been a flibbertigibbet throughout their own career and tried hundreds of different roles, they won't.

Do your research and be proactive

Hester's younger sister, Addy, is the family flibbertigibbet -- until her depth, resolve, and iron will are revealed through a tragedy.

Salt Creek

Indeed, Edgar's fictional fiends are a good example; his play-acting is so effective that it is not too great a stretch to think that Mohu or the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet might in fact be tormenting some actual Tom O'Bedlam beggar, even if not Edgar.

Shakespeare's Demonology: A Dictionary

The show -- the story -- begins with Maria, "a flibbertigibbet, a Will o' the wisp, a clown", hurtling back to the abbey where, given her shocking time-keeping, she is clearly in vain pursuit of a career as a nun.

The Sound of Music opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal for a two-week run; Danielle Hope puts on a Julie Andrews bob to play Maria Rainer in Bill Kenwright's new stage version of a stage and screen favourite

(32) Some other artists released on the 3rd Ear record label included Colin Shamley, Mike Dickman, Jannie Hofmeyr, Paul Clingman, Brian Finch, Roger Lucey, John Oakley-Smith and groups such as Flibbertigibbet and Raven.

The house where history ended up: packing up the Ben Segal Collection

A mercenary, hypochondriacal, flibbertigibbet, who doesn't take in one of six words addressed to him--but civil to the old ladies" (Diaries 566).

Alluding to Waugh

Simone White's essay at Harriet, "Flibbertigibbet in a White Room / Competencies," despite having been published six months prior, was coming up frequently in online discussions of reading series and when I responded to the invitation to ask a few questions, I included a link.

The internal pressure is death

This flibbertigibbet streak perhaps accounts for his refusal to stick with a successful technique when he found one.

Blank faces: when it came to portrait painting, Manet's brilliance often deserted him

And now here's this dyed-hair flibbertigibbet who wants to know.

What Doesn't Choke Will Fatten