opuscule

Notes: My mind thought of several possible meanings; none of them correct.

Pronounced: oh-PUHS-kyool, noun

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Yesterday’s word

The word hurly-burly, as a noun, means “disorder; confusion; commotion; uproar”. As an adjective, it means “characterized by disorder, confusion, commotion, uproar”.

First usage

Our word came into English way back in the mid-1400s

Background / Comments

I tend to confuse our word with ‘hurdy-gurdy’, which is a kind of musical instrument. Our word is thought to come from the a duplication of hurling, from the verb hurl (to toss). When there is disorder, confusion, etc, our senses seem to be tossed about.