boondoggle
UK[ˈbuːndɒɡl̩]US[ˈbuːndɑːɡl̩]
n
A project or activity that is wasteful, pointless, and often involves political patronage.
n
A braided cord or leather strap, often made by scouts as a decorative handicraft.
Etymology
The word 'boondoggle' is a 20th-century American invention, first recorded in the 1930s. It is believed to have originated as a nonsense or humorous coinage, possibly influenced by the earlier American slang term 'gadget' or 'doodad'. The term gained widespread prominence during the Great Depression when it was used to criticize government-funded public works projects as wasteful or trivial, particularly those that involved making simple braided cords as a form of relief work. This specific historical context cemented its primary modern meaning, transforming a playful, invented word into a lasting term for politically motivated, wasteful expenditure.
Analysis
This word is a modern American English coinage with no clear, separable morphemes in its current spelling. Its structure is considered unsegmentable.
Examples
The senator criticized the new highway as an expensive boondoggle that served no public need.
At summer camp, the children learned to make boondoggles out of colorful plastic lanyards.
The investigative report exposed the defense contract as a multi-billion dollar boondoggle.