Rube Goldberg
adjective
Rube Gold·berg ˈrüb-ˈgōl(d)-ˌbərg 
variants or less commonly Rube Goldbergian
ˈrüb-ˈgōl(d)-ˌbər-gē-ən
-ˌbərg-yən
: accomplishing by complex means what seemingly could be done simply
a kind of Rube Goldberg contraption … with five hundred moving parts
L. T. Grant
L. T. Grant also : characterized by such complex means
Word History
Etymology
Reuben (Rube) L. Goldberg †1970 American cartoonist
First Known Use
1928, in the meaning defined above
- spontaneity
- spontaneous
- spontaneous amputation
- spontaneous combustion
- spontaneous generation
- spontaneous magnetization
- spontaneous recovery
- spontaneously
- spontaneousness
- spontaneousnesses
- spontoon
- spontoons
- spoof
- spoofed
- spoofer
- spooferies
- spoofers
- spoofery
- spoofing
- spoofs
- spoofy
- spook
- spook yeast
- spooked
- spookeries