hogwash

The term 'hogwash' is a compound word formed from two Old English elements. Literally, it referred to the swill or kitchen refuse fed to pigs, a sense still in use. By the 18th century, this literal meaning of worthless scraps for consumption was figuratively extended to describe speech or writing deemed to be as worthless and unpalatable as pig slop. The logic of the evolution is clear: just as 'wash' for hogs is unfit for human consumption, so 'hogwash' as nonsense is considered intellectually unfit and devoid of value.

Structure: hog + wash hog: (Origin: Middle English, from Old English hogg; Role: Noun, referring to a pig, especially a domesticated one raised for slaughter.) wash: (Origin: Old English wæscan; Role: Noun, referring to liquid food or kitchen slops, especially for animals.)