Hello,

could anyone please tell me about the etymology for this word?

Thanks, Anat

I'm pretty sure it comes from the word "Gibber" - to make the characteristic sound of a monkey. Its an imitative word - according to my Collins Dictionary - 17th century.

(For Ozzies - I see there is another Australian meaning for gibber - boulder or stone, or dry flat area covered in stones - as in gibber plans)

Hello efroch:

My Shorter Oxford dates "gibberish" as early 16th century and defines it as "unintelligible speech belonging to no known language, a series of meaningless sounds; blundering or ungrammatical talk; nonsense".

Cheers
Paul Bywater