You may have come across this amusing word whilst reading classic British literature, or perhaps you’ve heard a grumpy relative use it at Christmas. ‘Humbug’ is one of those English words so expressive that they almost seem to have been plucked from the theatre — and with good reason.

Essentially, humbug refers to deception, nonsense or insincere behaviour. It can describe a person who is a fraud, an idea that is utter nonsense, or simply something that seems dishonest or exaggerated. As an exclamation, it conveys strong disbelief or rejection; think of Scrooge grumbling ‘Bah! Humbug!’ at the mere mention of Christmas cheer.

I recently came across the word in ‘A Stroke of the Pen’ by the magnificent Terry Pratchett — a collection of his early journalistic work. Pratchett uses it with his characteristic dry wit, employing it to highlight pomposity and expose hypocrisy. It fitted perfectly into his writing.

The word dates back to 18th-century British slang, though its exact origin remains a mystery. Nowadays it has a slightly old-fashioned, almost affectionate tone, though it still packs a punch when used well.

10 example sentences

"The politician's promises were utter humbug, and no one believed a word of it."
"Las promesas del político eran puras patrañas, y nadie se creyó ni una palabra."

"Oh, humbug! You don't really believe that's going to work, do you?"
"¡Pamplinas! ¿De verdad crees que eso va a funcionar?"

"He was a well-dressed humbug who captivated everyone in the room."
"Era un farsante bien vestido que cautivó a todos los presentes."

"She dismissed the self-help book as sentimental humbug."
"Descartó el libro de autoayuda como un camelo sentimental."

"Don't give me that humbug. I know exactly what happened."
"No me vengas con cuentos. Sé exactamente lo que pasó."

"The advert was pure humbug; it made the product seem far better than it was."
"El anuncio era puro camelo; hacía que el producto pareciera mucho mejor de lo que era."

"His apology was complete humbug: rehearsed and utterly unconvincing."
"Su disculpa fue una farsa total: ensayada y completamente poco convincente."

"The professor had little patience for academic humbug."
"El profesor tenía poca paciencia para las paparruchas académicas."

"In true Pratchett style, the character was aware of all the humbug surrounding him."
"Fiel al estilo de Pratchett, el personaje era consciente de toda la farsa que lo rodeaba."

"'Humbug!' shouted the old man, folding the newspaper with a theatrical snap."
"¡Patrañas! —gritó el anciano, doblando el periódico con un gesto teatral."