dingbat

noun

ding·​bat ˈdiŋ-ˌbat How to pronounce dingbat (audio)
1
: a typographical symbol or ornament (such as *, ¶, or ✠)
2

Examples of dingbat in a Sentence

I told you it wouldn't work, you dingbat! a dingbat who was constantly firing off nonsensical letters to the editor
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Again, how can someone be so essential, so rich and, at the same time, such a dingbat? Daniel Vergano, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024 He was inspired to invent these elders by contemplating the oddly textured cinder blocks of a dingbat apartment on 6th Avenue in Venice. Mark Gozonsky, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023 Resting a few feet from a dingbat apartment to the south, the ADU is lifted off the ground to preserve two parking spots in the alley and a swimming pool in front. Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023 From the aparthotels and bungalow courts of the 1910s and ’20s through the public housing projects and dingbat apartment buildings of mid-century to the towers and backyard ADUs of today, Anderton offers an overview of L.A.’s most significant designs. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2023 One 77-year-old tenant has lived in a $824-per-month dingbat unit alongside her 56-year-old son with special needs for 40 years, the outlet reports. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023 There are various residences currently on the project site including 10 bungalows, five dingbat apartments (the kind built over a two-car garage in sunnier states), and a single-family home across multiple lots, according to the Los Angeles Times. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023 These structures, also known as dingbats, can be retrofitted by installing a steel frame to support the ground story. Sandhya Kambhampati, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2023 Connor’s the dingbat who will never amount to anything. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 31 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dingbat was in 1904

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dingbat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dingbat. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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