Definition: A ludicrously false statement. Basically it means bullshit or nonsense. Analysis: Actually, you probably already know this word by its more common spelling: bunkum.
The origin of this word is fascinating. In 1819, a North Carolina congressman, the Honorable Felix Walker, was giving a rambling speech with little relevance to the current debate. He refused to yield the floor, and claimed that he wasn't speaking for Congress but instead "for Buncombe" (a county in North Carolina he represented). That's all it took.
Over time, the spelling changed to "bunkum..." The word DEBUNK came directly from this: it's just bunk(um) with the prefix de- (meaning to remove).
(Text and image from Neatorama's list of 10 Insulting Words You Should Know.)
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