A word to use sarcastically for “An invention which is amazing but not useful in any way”












2















Let's say that two people are talking about an invention which is amazing in that it is beautiful or proves an impossible concept but hardly has any use. How can one refer to it in a sarcastic manner, as if saying that the invention was the need of the day ?



Sample Dialogue -




Thawed out caveman : I must say the science of your times is quite
amazing. I never quite could have imagined something like this.



Modern day scientist : Yes...Modern technology has grown by leaps and
bounds...We have X, Y and Z



Thawed out caveman : And then there is cloning



Modern day scientist : Yes, truly one of our "_________"
technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.











share|improve this question




















  • 2





    'chocolate teapot' and 'solution looking for a problem' come to mind, but don't fit your sentence.

    – Robin Betts
    2 days ago











  • If you hadn’t mandated sarcasm, you could have said one of our most pointless technologies...

    – k1eran
    2 days ago








  • 1





    with sarcasm you get to pick a word with the exact opposite meaning: useful, practical, important ...

    – Jim
    2 days ago








  • 1





    Sorry, but voting to close as too broad and/or POB

    – Jim
    2 days ago











  • First off, cloning is extremely useful. Soon, you will be able to go to the dentist and get a tooth cloned. Setting that aside, a classic sarcastic idiom is "we need that like a fish needs a bicycle." The idiom has an interesting history.

    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago
















2















Let's say that two people are talking about an invention which is amazing in that it is beautiful or proves an impossible concept but hardly has any use. How can one refer to it in a sarcastic manner, as if saying that the invention was the need of the day ?



Sample Dialogue -




Thawed out caveman : I must say the science of your times is quite
amazing. I never quite could have imagined something like this.



Modern day scientist : Yes...Modern technology has grown by leaps and
bounds...We have X, Y and Z



Thawed out caveman : And then there is cloning



Modern day scientist : Yes, truly one of our "_________"
technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.











share|improve this question




















  • 2





    'chocolate teapot' and 'solution looking for a problem' come to mind, but don't fit your sentence.

    – Robin Betts
    2 days ago











  • If you hadn’t mandated sarcasm, you could have said one of our most pointless technologies...

    – k1eran
    2 days ago








  • 1





    with sarcasm you get to pick a word with the exact opposite meaning: useful, practical, important ...

    – Jim
    2 days ago








  • 1





    Sorry, but voting to close as too broad and/or POB

    – Jim
    2 days ago











  • First off, cloning is extremely useful. Soon, you will be able to go to the dentist and get a tooth cloned. Setting that aside, a classic sarcastic idiom is "we need that like a fish needs a bicycle." The idiom has an interesting history.

    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago














2












2








2








Let's say that two people are talking about an invention which is amazing in that it is beautiful or proves an impossible concept but hardly has any use. How can one refer to it in a sarcastic manner, as if saying that the invention was the need of the day ?



Sample Dialogue -




Thawed out caveman : I must say the science of your times is quite
amazing. I never quite could have imagined something like this.



Modern day scientist : Yes...Modern technology has grown by leaps and
bounds...We have X, Y and Z



Thawed out caveman : And then there is cloning



Modern day scientist : Yes, truly one of our "_________"
technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.











share|improve this question
















Let's say that two people are talking about an invention which is amazing in that it is beautiful or proves an impossible concept but hardly has any use. How can one refer to it in a sarcastic manner, as if saying that the invention was the need of the day ?



Sample Dialogue -




Thawed out caveman : I must say the science of your times is quite
amazing. I never quite could have imagined something like this.



Modern day scientist : Yes...Modern technology has grown by leaps and
bounds...We have X, Y and Z



Thawed out caveman : And then there is cloning



Modern day scientist : Yes, truly one of our "_________"
technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.








single-word-requests






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 2 days ago







user96551

















asked 2 days ago









user96551user96551

672621




672621








  • 2





    'chocolate teapot' and 'solution looking for a problem' come to mind, but don't fit your sentence.

    – Robin Betts
    2 days ago











  • If you hadn’t mandated sarcasm, you could have said one of our most pointless technologies...

    – k1eran
    2 days ago








  • 1





    with sarcasm you get to pick a word with the exact opposite meaning: useful, practical, important ...

    – Jim
    2 days ago








  • 1





    Sorry, but voting to close as too broad and/or POB

    – Jim
    2 days ago











  • First off, cloning is extremely useful. Soon, you will be able to go to the dentist and get a tooth cloned. Setting that aside, a classic sarcastic idiom is "we need that like a fish needs a bicycle." The idiom has an interesting history.

    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago














  • 2





    'chocolate teapot' and 'solution looking for a problem' come to mind, but don't fit your sentence.

    – Robin Betts
    2 days ago











  • If you hadn’t mandated sarcasm, you could have said one of our most pointless technologies...

    – k1eran
    2 days ago








  • 1





    with sarcasm you get to pick a word with the exact opposite meaning: useful, practical, important ...

    – Jim
    2 days ago








  • 1





    Sorry, but voting to close as too broad and/or POB

    – Jim
    2 days ago











  • First off, cloning is extremely useful. Soon, you will be able to go to the dentist and get a tooth cloned. Setting that aside, a classic sarcastic idiom is "we need that like a fish needs a bicycle." The idiom has an interesting history.

    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago








2




2





'chocolate teapot' and 'solution looking for a problem' come to mind, but don't fit your sentence.

– Robin Betts
2 days ago





'chocolate teapot' and 'solution looking for a problem' come to mind, but don't fit your sentence.

– Robin Betts
2 days ago













If you hadn’t mandated sarcasm, you could have said one of our most pointless technologies...

– k1eran
2 days ago







If you hadn’t mandated sarcasm, you could have said one of our most pointless technologies...

– k1eran
2 days ago






1




1





with sarcasm you get to pick a word with the exact opposite meaning: useful, practical, important ...

– Jim
2 days ago







with sarcasm you get to pick a word with the exact opposite meaning: useful, practical, important ...

– Jim
2 days ago






1




1





Sorry, but voting to close as too broad and/or POB

– Jim
2 days ago





Sorry, but voting to close as too broad and/or POB

– Jim
2 days ago













First off, cloning is extremely useful. Soon, you will be able to go to the dentist and get a tooth cloned. Setting that aside, a classic sarcastic idiom is "we need that like a fish needs a bicycle." The idiom has an interesting history.

– Phil Sweet
2 days ago





First off, cloning is extremely useful. Soon, you will be able to go to the dentist and get a tooth cloned. Setting that aside, a classic sarcastic idiom is "we need that like a fish needs a bicycle." The idiom has an interesting history.

– Phil Sweet
2 days ago










4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes


















0














Invaluable has the potential for sarcasm. Most dictionaries will record its primary and most commonly understood meaning:




: valuable beyond estimation : priceless




However, note two things. First, In- is a prefix that negates what follows. In conventional use, invaluable means that it can't be valued. Yet a second meaning of the word also exists: it has no value. From the Oxford English Dictionary:





  1. Without value, valueless.




Here is an example from a 19th century play John Bull by George Colman:




I flattered myself I might not be altogether invaluable to your Ladyship.




People have played with this word to create sarcasm: sure, the superficial reading is that they're beyond value, but something about the tone and context suggests that they're not valued. A couple of other uses that strike a sarcastic tone:




@ disney, thank you for making me, as well as all of my PhotoPass coworkers and friends, feel replaceable and invaluable. ... Saying I’m invaluable is sarcasm.



They say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Yeah, right. Assuming "they" are the same experts who tell us "Look before you leap" and "He who hesitates is lost", then I think we all know how incisive and invaluable their advice is. What would we do without it?




So your jaded modern scientist would be engaging in wordplay while subtly hinting at their true disposition towards cloning.






share|improve this answer
























  • Any utterance in English can be sarcastic, especially any form of praise. This sheds no light and breaks no ground..

    – Robusto
    2 days ago











  • @Robusto Yes, any expression may be sarcastic, but not every expression has sarcasm reinforced by the word meaning two opposite things. To give an example, valuable does not allow for the same wordplay because valuable never means useless. Invaluable sometimes does mean useless. (Also, if any utterance may truly be sarcastic, and if the qualities of a word can never help with that in a punning way, then the question itself doesn't work, since no single word will do what the original poster is asking.)

    – TaliesinMerlin
    2 days ago













  • If "no single word will do what the original poster is asking" then why suggest one with an extrinsic qualifier? That's not what this site is about.

    – Robusto
    2 days ago











  • I don't understand your comment, but you are entitled to your opinion.

    – TaliesinMerlin
    2 days ago





















0














You might go for straight out sarcasm with productive.




Yes, truly one of our most productive technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.




On the one hand, it is used to describe something good:




2 achieving good results

    a productive partnership

    Politeness is usually more productive than confrontation.
Macmillan




On the otherhand, it can just mean making something:




3 FORMAL causing or producing something
Macmillan







share|improve this answer































    0














    How about "most precious" or "most darling"? Or "sterling"? These words are all a little over the top — you know right away that if a technology is truly wonderful, you would never call it "darling."






    share|improve this answer































      -1














      This is what white elephant means.




      white elephant n

      1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless. The term comes from a story about the king of Siam, who was said to have given an albino elephant, considered sacred, to a member of the court whom he disliked, knowing that taking care of the animal would exhaust the person's fortune. At first, Eve was excited to inherit the farm, but it soon proved to be a white elephant she couldn't afford.




      —The Free Dictionary Online






      share|improve this answer



















      • 1





        I think white elephant emphasises the cost aspects, where the question emphasises the uselessness of the item.

        – k1eran
        2 days ago











      • @k1eran: "1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless." I think if you read to the end of the definition you'll find what you're looking for.

        – Robusto
        2 days ago






      • 2





        I think white elephant is close but not quite right here. The OP’s question makes no mention that the item is expensive, and I think that aspect is core to the white elephant idiom.

        – k1eran
        2 days ago






      • 1





        You are entitled to your opinion.

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      Your Answer








      StackExchange.ready(function() {
      var channelOptions = {
      tags: "".split(" "),
      id: "97"
      };
      initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

      StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
      // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
      if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
      StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
      createEditor();
      });
      }
      else {
      createEditor();
      }
      });

      function createEditor() {
      StackExchange.prepareEditor({
      heartbeatType: 'answer',
      autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
      convertImagesToLinks: false,
      noModals: true,
      showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
      reputationToPostImages: null,
      bindNavPrevention: true,
      postfix: "",
      imageUploader: {
      brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
      contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
      allowUrls: true
      },
      noCode: true, onDemand: true,
      discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
      ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
      });


      }
      });














      draft saved

      draft discarded


















      StackExchange.ready(
      function () {
      StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f482697%2fa-word-to-use-sarcastically-for-an-invention-which-is-amazing-but-not-useful-in%23new-answer', 'question_page');
      }
      );

      Post as a guest















      Required, but never shown

























      4 Answers
      4






      active

      oldest

      votes








      4 Answers
      4






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      0














      Invaluable has the potential for sarcasm. Most dictionaries will record its primary and most commonly understood meaning:




      : valuable beyond estimation : priceless




      However, note two things. First, In- is a prefix that negates what follows. In conventional use, invaluable means that it can't be valued. Yet a second meaning of the word also exists: it has no value. From the Oxford English Dictionary:





      1. Without value, valueless.




      Here is an example from a 19th century play John Bull by George Colman:




      I flattered myself I might not be altogether invaluable to your Ladyship.




      People have played with this word to create sarcasm: sure, the superficial reading is that they're beyond value, but something about the tone and context suggests that they're not valued. A couple of other uses that strike a sarcastic tone:




      @ disney, thank you for making me, as well as all of my PhotoPass coworkers and friends, feel replaceable and invaluable. ... Saying I’m invaluable is sarcasm.



      They say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Yeah, right. Assuming "they" are the same experts who tell us "Look before you leap" and "He who hesitates is lost", then I think we all know how incisive and invaluable their advice is. What would we do without it?




      So your jaded modern scientist would be engaging in wordplay while subtly hinting at their true disposition towards cloning.






      share|improve this answer
























      • Any utterance in English can be sarcastic, especially any form of praise. This sheds no light and breaks no ground..

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • @Robusto Yes, any expression may be sarcastic, but not every expression has sarcasm reinforced by the word meaning two opposite things. To give an example, valuable does not allow for the same wordplay because valuable never means useless. Invaluable sometimes does mean useless. (Also, if any utterance may truly be sarcastic, and if the qualities of a word can never help with that in a punning way, then the question itself doesn't work, since no single word will do what the original poster is asking.)

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago













      • If "no single word will do what the original poster is asking" then why suggest one with an extrinsic qualifier? That's not what this site is about.

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • I don't understand your comment, but you are entitled to your opinion.

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago


















      0














      Invaluable has the potential for sarcasm. Most dictionaries will record its primary and most commonly understood meaning:




      : valuable beyond estimation : priceless




      However, note two things. First, In- is a prefix that negates what follows. In conventional use, invaluable means that it can't be valued. Yet a second meaning of the word also exists: it has no value. From the Oxford English Dictionary:





      1. Without value, valueless.




      Here is an example from a 19th century play John Bull by George Colman:




      I flattered myself I might not be altogether invaluable to your Ladyship.




      People have played with this word to create sarcasm: sure, the superficial reading is that they're beyond value, but something about the tone and context suggests that they're not valued. A couple of other uses that strike a sarcastic tone:




      @ disney, thank you for making me, as well as all of my PhotoPass coworkers and friends, feel replaceable and invaluable. ... Saying I’m invaluable is sarcasm.



      They say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Yeah, right. Assuming "they" are the same experts who tell us "Look before you leap" and "He who hesitates is lost", then I think we all know how incisive and invaluable their advice is. What would we do without it?




      So your jaded modern scientist would be engaging in wordplay while subtly hinting at their true disposition towards cloning.






      share|improve this answer
























      • Any utterance in English can be sarcastic, especially any form of praise. This sheds no light and breaks no ground..

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • @Robusto Yes, any expression may be sarcastic, but not every expression has sarcasm reinforced by the word meaning two opposite things. To give an example, valuable does not allow for the same wordplay because valuable never means useless. Invaluable sometimes does mean useless. (Also, if any utterance may truly be sarcastic, and if the qualities of a word can never help with that in a punning way, then the question itself doesn't work, since no single word will do what the original poster is asking.)

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago













      • If "no single word will do what the original poster is asking" then why suggest one with an extrinsic qualifier? That's not what this site is about.

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • I don't understand your comment, but you are entitled to your opinion.

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago
















      0












      0








      0







      Invaluable has the potential for sarcasm. Most dictionaries will record its primary and most commonly understood meaning:




      : valuable beyond estimation : priceless




      However, note two things. First, In- is a prefix that negates what follows. In conventional use, invaluable means that it can't be valued. Yet a second meaning of the word also exists: it has no value. From the Oxford English Dictionary:





      1. Without value, valueless.




      Here is an example from a 19th century play John Bull by George Colman:




      I flattered myself I might not be altogether invaluable to your Ladyship.




      People have played with this word to create sarcasm: sure, the superficial reading is that they're beyond value, but something about the tone and context suggests that they're not valued. A couple of other uses that strike a sarcastic tone:




      @ disney, thank you for making me, as well as all of my PhotoPass coworkers and friends, feel replaceable and invaluable. ... Saying I’m invaluable is sarcasm.



      They say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Yeah, right. Assuming "they" are the same experts who tell us "Look before you leap" and "He who hesitates is lost", then I think we all know how incisive and invaluable their advice is. What would we do without it?




      So your jaded modern scientist would be engaging in wordplay while subtly hinting at their true disposition towards cloning.






      share|improve this answer













      Invaluable has the potential for sarcasm. Most dictionaries will record its primary and most commonly understood meaning:




      : valuable beyond estimation : priceless




      However, note two things. First, In- is a prefix that negates what follows. In conventional use, invaluable means that it can't be valued. Yet a second meaning of the word also exists: it has no value. From the Oxford English Dictionary:





      1. Without value, valueless.




      Here is an example from a 19th century play John Bull by George Colman:




      I flattered myself I might not be altogether invaluable to your Ladyship.




      People have played with this word to create sarcasm: sure, the superficial reading is that they're beyond value, but something about the tone and context suggests that they're not valued. A couple of other uses that strike a sarcastic tone:




      @ disney, thank you for making me, as well as all of my PhotoPass coworkers and friends, feel replaceable and invaluable. ... Saying I’m invaluable is sarcasm.



      They say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Yeah, right. Assuming "they" are the same experts who tell us "Look before you leap" and "He who hesitates is lost", then I think we all know how incisive and invaluable their advice is. What would we do without it?




      So your jaded modern scientist would be engaging in wordplay while subtly hinting at their true disposition towards cloning.







      share|improve this answer












      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer










      answered 2 days ago









      TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin

      2,559419




      2,559419













      • Any utterance in English can be sarcastic, especially any form of praise. This sheds no light and breaks no ground..

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • @Robusto Yes, any expression may be sarcastic, but not every expression has sarcasm reinforced by the word meaning two opposite things. To give an example, valuable does not allow for the same wordplay because valuable never means useless. Invaluable sometimes does mean useless. (Also, if any utterance may truly be sarcastic, and if the qualities of a word can never help with that in a punning way, then the question itself doesn't work, since no single word will do what the original poster is asking.)

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago













      • If "no single word will do what the original poster is asking" then why suggest one with an extrinsic qualifier? That's not what this site is about.

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • I don't understand your comment, but you are entitled to your opinion.

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago





















      • Any utterance in English can be sarcastic, especially any form of praise. This sheds no light and breaks no ground..

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • @Robusto Yes, any expression may be sarcastic, but not every expression has sarcasm reinforced by the word meaning two opposite things. To give an example, valuable does not allow for the same wordplay because valuable never means useless. Invaluable sometimes does mean useless. (Also, if any utterance may truly be sarcastic, and if the qualities of a word can never help with that in a punning way, then the question itself doesn't work, since no single word will do what the original poster is asking.)

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago













      • If "no single word will do what the original poster is asking" then why suggest one with an extrinsic qualifier? That's not what this site is about.

        – Robusto
        2 days ago











      • I don't understand your comment, but you are entitled to your opinion.

        – TaliesinMerlin
        2 days ago



















      Any utterance in English can be sarcastic, especially any form of praise. This sheds no light and breaks no ground..

      – Robusto
      2 days ago





      Any utterance in English can be sarcastic, especially any form of praise. This sheds no light and breaks no ground..

      – Robusto
      2 days ago













      @Robusto Yes, any expression may be sarcastic, but not every expression has sarcasm reinforced by the word meaning two opposite things. To give an example, valuable does not allow for the same wordplay because valuable never means useless. Invaluable sometimes does mean useless. (Also, if any utterance may truly be sarcastic, and if the qualities of a word can never help with that in a punning way, then the question itself doesn't work, since no single word will do what the original poster is asking.)

      – TaliesinMerlin
      2 days ago







      @Robusto Yes, any expression may be sarcastic, but not every expression has sarcasm reinforced by the word meaning two opposite things. To give an example, valuable does not allow for the same wordplay because valuable never means useless. Invaluable sometimes does mean useless. (Also, if any utterance may truly be sarcastic, and if the qualities of a word can never help with that in a punning way, then the question itself doesn't work, since no single word will do what the original poster is asking.)

      – TaliesinMerlin
      2 days ago















      If "no single word will do what the original poster is asking" then why suggest one with an extrinsic qualifier? That's not what this site is about.

      – Robusto
      2 days ago





      If "no single word will do what the original poster is asking" then why suggest one with an extrinsic qualifier? That's not what this site is about.

      – Robusto
      2 days ago













      I don't understand your comment, but you are entitled to your opinion.

      – TaliesinMerlin
      2 days ago







      I don't understand your comment, but you are entitled to your opinion.

      – TaliesinMerlin
      2 days ago















      0














      You might go for straight out sarcasm with productive.




      Yes, truly one of our most productive technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.




      On the one hand, it is used to describe something good:




      2 achieving good results

          a productive partnership

          Politeness is usually more productive than confrontation.
      Macmillan




      On the otherhand, it can just mean making something:




      3 FORMAL causing or producing something
      Macmillan







      share|improve this answer




























        0














        You might go for straight out sarcasm with productive.




        Yes, truly one of our most productive technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.




        On the one hand, it is used to describe something good:




        2 achieving good results

            a productive partnership

            Politeness is usually more productive than confrontation.
        Macmillan




        On the otherhand, it can just mean making something:




        3 FORMAL causing or producing something
        Macmillan







        share|improve this answer


























          0












          0








          0







          You might go for straight out sarcasm with productive.




          Yes, truly one of our most productive technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.




          On the one hand, it is used to describe something good:




          2 achieving good results

              a productive partnership

              Politeness is usually more productive than confrontation.
          Macmillan




          On the otherhand, it can just mean making something:




          3 FORMAL causing or producing something
          Macmillan







          share|improve this answer













          You might go for straight out sarcasm with productive.




          Yes, truly one of our most productive technologies in this day and age of overpopulation.




          On the one hand, it is used to describe something good:




          2 achieving good results

              a productive partnership

              Politeness is usually more productive than confrontation.
          Macmillan




          On the otherhand, it can just mean making something:




          3 FORMAL causing or producing something
          Macmillan








          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 2 days ago









          jxhjxh

          9,1281547




          9,1281547























              0














              How about "most precious" or "most darling"? Or "sterling"? These words are all a little over the top — you know right away that if a technology is truly wonderful, you would never call it "darling."






              share|improve this answer




























                0














                How about "most precious" or "most darling"? Or "sterling"? These words are all a little over the top — you know right away that if a technology is truly wonderful, you would never call it "darling."






                share|improve this answer


























                  0












                  0








                  0







                  How about "most precious" or "most darling"? Or "sterling"? These words are all a little over the top — you know right away that if a technology is truly wonderful, you would never call it "darling."






                  share|improve this answer













                  How about "most precious" or "most darling"? Or "sterling"? These words are all a little over the top — you know right away that if a technology is truly wonderful, you would never call it "darling."







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 2 days ago









                  debbiesymdebbiesym

                  4122517




                  4122517























                      -1














                      This is what white elephant means.




                      white elephant n

                      1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless. The term comes from a story about the king of Siam, who was said to have given an albino elephant, considered sacred, to a member of the court whom he disliked, knowing that taking care of the animal would exhaust the person's fortune. At first, Eve was excited to inherit the farm, but it soon proved to be a white elephant she couldn't afford.




                      —The Free Dictionary Online






                      share|improve this answer



















                      • 1





                        I think white elephant emphasises the cost aspects, where the question emphasises the uselessness of the item.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago











                      • @k1eran: "1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless." I think if you read to the end of the definition you'll find what you're looking for.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago






                      • 2





                        I think white elephant is close but not quite right here. The OP’s question makes no mention that the item is expensive, and I think that aspect is core to the white elephant idiom.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago






                      • 1





                        You are entitled to your opinion.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago
















                      -1














                      This is what white elephant means.




                      white elephant n

                      1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless. The term comes from a story about the king of Siam, who was said to have given an albino elephant, considered sacred, to a member of the court whom he disliked, knowing that taking care of the animal would exhaust the person's fortune. At first, Eve was excited to inherit the farm, but it soon proved to be a white elephant she couldn't afford.




                      —The Free Dictionary Online






                      share|improve this answer



















                      • 1





                        I think white elephant emphasises the cost aspects, where the question emphasises the uselessness of the item.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago











                      • @k1eran: "1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless." I think if you read to the end of the definition you'll find what you're looking for.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago






                      • 2





                        I think white elephant is close but not quite right here. The OP’s question makes no mention that the item is expensive, and I think that aspect is core to the white elephant idiom.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago






                      • 1





                        You are entitled to your opinion.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago














                      -1












                      -1








                      -1







                      This is what white elephant means.




                      white elephant n

                      1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless. The term comes from a story about the king of Siam, who was said to have given an albino elephant, considered sacred, to a member of the court whom he disliked, knowing that taking care of the animal would exhaust the person's fortune. At first, Eve was excited to inherit the farm, but it soon proved to be a white elephant she couldn't afford.




                      —The Free Dictionary Online






                      share|improve this answer













                      This is what white elephant means.




                      white elephant n

                      1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless. The term comes from a story about the king of Siam, who was said to have given an albino elephant, considered sacred, to a member of the court whom he disliked, knowing that taking care of the animal would exhaust the person's fortune. At first, Eve was excited to inherit the farm, but it soon proved to be a white elephant she couldn't afford.




                      —The Free Dictionary Online







                      share|improve this answer












                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer










                      answered 2 days ago









                      RobustoRobusto

                      128k29303516




                      128k29303516








                      • 1





                        I think white elephant emphasises the cost aspects, where the question emphasises the uselessness of the item.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago











                      • @k1eran: "1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless." I think if you read to the end of the definition you'll find what you're looking for.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago






                      • 2





                        I think white elephant is close but not quite right here. The OP’s question makes no mention that the item is expensive, and I think that aspect is core to the white elephant idiom.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago






                      • 1





                        You are entitled to your opinion.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago














                      • 1





                        I think white elephant emphasises the cost aspects, where the question emphasises the uselessness of the item.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago











                      • @k1eran: "1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless." I think if you read to the end of the definition you'll find what you're looking for.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago






                      • 2





                        I think white elephant is close but not quite right here. The OP’s question makes no mention that the item is expensive, and I think that aspect is core to the white elephant idiom.

                        – k1eran
                        2 days ago






                      • 1





                        You are entitled to your opinion.

                        – Robusto
                        2 days ago








                      1




                      1





                      I think white elephant emphasises the cost aspects, where the question emphasises the uselessness of the item.

                      – k1eran
                      2 days ago





                      I think white elephant emphasises the cost aspects, where the question emphasises the uselessness of the item.

                      – k1eran
                      2 days ago













                      @k1eran: "1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless." I think if you read to the end of the definition you'll find what you're looking for.

                      – Robusto
                      2 days ago





                      @k1eran: "1. An expensive item that is troublesome or useless." I think if you read to the end of the definition you'll find what you're looking for.

                      – Robusto
                      2 days ago




                      2




                      2





                      I think white elephant is close but not quite right here. The OP’s question makes no mention that the item is expensive, and I think that aspect is core to the white elephant idiom.

                      – k1eran
                      2 days ago





                      I think white elephant is close but not quite right here. The OP’s question makes no mention that the item is expensive, and I think that aspect is core to the white elephant idiom.

                      – k1eran
                      2 days ago




                      1




                      1





                      You are entitled to your opinion.

                      – Robusto
                      2 days ago





                      You are entitled to your opinion.

                      – Robusto
                      2 days ago


















                      draft saved

                      draft discarded




















































                      Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!


                      • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                      But avoid



                      • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                      • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                      To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                      draft saved


                      draft discarded














                      StackExchange.ready(
                      function () {
                      StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f482697%2fa-word-to-use-sarcastically-for-an-invention-which-is-amazing-but-not-useful-in%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                      }
                      );

                      Post as a guest















                      Required, but never shown





















































                      Required, but never shown














                      Required, but never shown












                      Required, but never shown







                      Required, but never shown

































                      Required, but never shown














                      Required, but never shown












                      Required, but never shown







                      Required, but never shown







                      Popular posts from this blog

                      Paul Cézanne

                      UIScrollView CustomStickyHeader Resize height generates problems when scroll is too fast

                      Angular material date-picker (MatDatepicker) auto completes the date on focus out