Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

rube goldberg machine

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.63 in modern English

Syllables
rube -gold-berg -ma-chine
IPA
33
Scrabble Score
19
Letters
5
Syllables
14
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A comical, overcomplicated machine which performs a simple task.

Canadian usage; American usage

noun

Anything that is overly complicated.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Named after American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who drew many such machines in his comics.

Usage

Inflected Forms

Rube Goldberg machines (plural)

Synonyms

Heath Robinson

Questions

What does rube goldberg machine mean?
A comical, overcomplicated machine which performs a simple task.
Where does rube goldberg machine come from?
Named after American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who drew many such machines in his comics.

How to pronounce rube goldberg machine

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “rube goldberg machine”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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  4. Repeat and practice — Say “rube goldberg machine” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.