Adventures in Etymology – Discombobulation

In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the word discombobulate.

To discombobulate [ˌdɪs.kəmˈbɒb.jəˌleɪt] is:

• To throw into a state of confusion


• To befuddle or perplex.


• To upset or embarrass

It was coined in the USA and first appeared in writing in around 1867 [source]. It is a fanciful mock-Latin term of a kind that was popular at that time, and was possibly inspired by words like discompose and discomfit [source].

Similar words were in use from about 1825, including discomboberated, discombobolate and discomboberate [source]

Related words include:

• discombobulation = an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused; a confused or disorderly state


• discombobulator = one who / that which discombobulates; a thingy or doodad


• pericombobuation = disturbance and confusion (features in a 1987 episode of Blackadder The Third, a BBC TV comedy series)


• to combobulate = to compose (oneself), to organize, to reverse the effect of discombobulation


• recombobulation = the act of recombobulating; putting back into order; removing confusion

Other mock-Latin words coined in the 19th century include to absquatulate (to leave quickly, to flee), to bloviate (to speak at length in a pompous or boastful manner), to hornswoggle (to deceive or trick), and to skedaddle (to run away quickly) [source].

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