Where did the expression “nonsense” come from?

The expression “nonsense” is thought to have originated in the 16th century from the Middle English word “nonsens”, which was derived from the Latin word “nonsensu”, meaning “without sense”. This term was used to refer to something that was logically or rationally absurd, or that made no sense.

The term was further popularized in the 18th century by the English poet and playwright Edward Lear, who wrote a series of humorous nonsense poems. He used the term to describe his nonsensical poems, which were full of whimsical characters and made-up words.

The term has since evolved to refer to any kind of foolishness, absurdity, or lack of sense. It is now commonly used to refer to something that is illogical, ridiculous, or simply doesn’t make sense.