Word of the Day : January 23, 2019

imbroglio \im-BROHL-yoh\ noun

Definition

1 a : an acutely painful or embarrassing misunderstanding

b : a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with it : scandal

c : a violently confused or bitterly complicated altercation : embroilment

d : an intricate or complicated situation (as in a drama or novel)

2 : a confused mass

Did You Know?

Imbroglio and embroilment are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb embrouiller (which has the same meaning as embroil), from the prefix em-, meaning "thoroughly," plus brouiller, meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." (Brouiller is itself a descendant of an Old French word for "broth.") Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using embroil, a direct adaptation of embrouiller, as well as the noun embroilment. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of embrouiller: imbrogliare, meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun imbroglio as well.

Aired January 23, 2019

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