Refers to pointless or wasteful talk; similar to 無駄口 (むだぐち) but slightly more formal or literary. Often used in expressions like 無駄言を言う.
See also: 無駄口 (むだぐち)
There was a lot of idle talk at the meeting.
Let's get to the point without idle chatter.
More common and casual than 無駄言. 無駄口 is everyday idle chatter, while 無駄言 can sound slightly more formal or emphatic about the wastefulness.
Standard kanji spelling; 無駄 (waste) + 言 (word).
Alternate kanji spelling using 徒 (futile). Less common than 無駄言.
Compound of 無駄 (むだ, 'waste, futility') and 言 (こと, 'word, speech'), with rendaku voicing of こと to ごと. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning is transparent from its components.