applesauce

the word is a transparent english compound, formed by combining the old english word for the fruit, 'apple', with the old french-derived word 'sauce', which itself originates from the latin 'salsa' (salted). the compound literally describes a sauce made from apples. its informal american meaning of "nonsense" emerged in the early 20th century, likely as a euphemistic or whimsical substitution for stronger terms, playing on the idea of something soft, mushy, and insubstantial.

Structure: apple + sauce - apple (old english): the fruit. from old english 'æppel', meaning fruit, apple. - sauce (old french, latin): a liquid or soft preparation served with food. from old french 'sauce', from latin 'salsa', meaning salted.