Well-read · Old & rare words · Humour & insults
Panjandrum: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Panjandrum noun. A pompous official or self-important person who thinks they are very powerful.
How to say it
pan-JAN-drum/panˈdʒandrəm/
3 syllables, stressed on the second (JAN). Forms: panjandrums.
Panjandrum in a sentence
Some panjandrum from the council arrived to tell us where to hang the bunting.
The industry's panjandrums gathered in Davos and agreed on nothing.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- bigwig
- big shot
- grandee
- mogul
Opposite:
- nobody
Where panjandrum comes from
From the Grand Panjandrum in a nonsense passage written by the playwright Samuel Foote in 1755.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The industry's _____ gathered in Davos and agreed on nothing.
- panjandrum
- wiseacre
- sockdolager
Show the answer
panjandrum: The industry's panjandrums gathered in Davos and agreed on nothing.