Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ



Apr 26, 2013
This week's theme
Onomatopoeic words

This week's words
bombilate
fanfaron
cachinnate
fillip
brouhaha

This week's comments
AWADmail 565

Next week's theme
Words borrowed from other languages
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

brouhaha

PRONUNCIATION:
(BROO-ha-ha, broo-ha-HA, broo-HA-ha)

MEANING:
noun: Noise, confusion, and excitement, especially over something insignificant.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French, of imitative origin. It has been also suggested it's an alteration of the Hebrew term barukh habba (welcome, literally, "blessed be the one who comes"). It was also used in French drama for a devil's cry as: brou, ha, ha! Earliest documented use: 1890.

USAGE:
"The brouhaha threatened to create a political firestorm in Ottawa." Paul Koring; Key Democrat Pelosi Voices Doubts on Keystone;
The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada); Mar 14, 2013.

See more usage examples of brouhaha in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith