View synonyms for mountebank

mountebank

[ moun-tuh-bangk ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a person who sells quack medicines, as from a platform in public places, attracting and influencing an audience by tricks, storytelling, etc.
Synonyms: pitchman
any charlatan or quack.
Synonyms: fraud, pretender, phony

verb (used without object)

to act or operate as a mountebank.

mountebank

/ ˈmaʊntɪˌbæŋk /

noun

(formerly) a person who sold quack medicines in public places
a charlatan; fake

verb

intr to play the mountebank

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Derived Forms

ˌmounteˈbankery, noun

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Other Words From

moun·te·bank·er·y [moun, -t, uh, -bangk-, uh, -ree], noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of mountebank¹

1570–80; (< Middle French ) < Italian montimbanco one who climbs on a bench, equivalent to mont ( are ) to climb ( mount ¹ ) + -im-, variant of in on + banco bench ( bank ² )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of mountebank¹

C16: from Italian montambanco a climber on a bench, from montare to mount ² + banco bench (see also bank ¹)

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Example Sentences

William Read died; originally a cobbler, became a mountebank, and practiced medicine by the light of nature!

From Project Gutenberg

Surely, if one such mountebank can cheer her thus, she shall be fed on white magic each day.

From Project Gutenberg

I'm better than a young mountebank—I've vanity enough to say that.

From Project Gutenberg

For my gibbosities tickled the taste of a travelling mountebank.

From Project Gutenberg

I have really, then, the vastly prodigious honour to be exalted in your fair graces to the level of a mountebank?

From Project Gutenberg

Mount Desert Island mounted

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