Word of the Day – Dingbat

Dingbat (noun)

ding-bat

A stupid or eccentric person: A typographical device other than a letter or numeral (such as an asterisk), used to signal divisions in text or to replace letters in a euphemistically presented vulgar word.

Origin
Mid 19th century (in early use applied to various vaguely specified objects): origin uncertain; perhaps based on ding. dingbat is probably by association with ‘having bats in the belfry’.

Example sentences

“Hopefully the rightwing-o-sphere’s infatuation with this dingbat will be over soon.”

“I still find it funny when I come across an obscenity which has been the victim of a literary bleep; using a couple of dingbats in a four letter word does not lessen its impact.”