grawlix

Meaning

Noun

• A spiral-shaped graphic used to indicate swearing in comic strips.
• A string of typographical symbols, especially "@#$%&!", used (especially in comic strips) to represent an obscenity or swearword.
• A series of violence related images in a speech bubble to represent obscenity, swearwords or profanity.

Origin

• Apparently coined by American cartoonist Mort Walker in 1964.