Editor's Corner

Dear Editrix,

Please compare the following words:

• Brawl
• Brouhaha
• Fracas
• Kerfuffle

Sincerely,

Ms. Shenanigan

Dear Ms. Shenanigan,

It looks like you are getting up to some mischief! I am more than happy to provide everyone with definitions from Merriam-Websterand brief “histories” from the Online Etymology Dictionary!

brawl

(verb) to quarrel or fight noisily: wrangle

late 14c., braulen "to cry out, scold, quarrel," probably related to Dutch brallen "to boast," or from French brailler "to shout noisily."

After the town’s two local teams competed for the croquet championship and the Elster Elderflowers lost, every pub had people from both sides brawling until the wee hours.

brouhaha

(noun) hubbub, uproar

"hubbub, uproar, confused and angry scene," 1890, from French brouhaha (15c.), said by Gamillscheg to have been, in medieval theater, "the cry of the devil disguised as clergy." If it has an etymology, it is perhaps from Hebrew barukh habba’ "blessed be the one who comes," used on public occasions.

Lanie heard a scream from the street and looked out of the window to see what caused the brouhaha; it was a Golden Retriever running away with a woman’s handbag and a man’s pocket watch.

fracas

(noun) a noisy quarrel; brawl

1727, from French fracas "crash, sudden noise; tumult, bustle, fuss" (15c.), from Italian fracasso "uproar, crash," back-formation from fracassare "to smash, crash, break in pieces."

While walking down at Waterfront Park, Suzie heard two people yelling at each other, involved in such a fracas she thought she might need to run for cover. It ended up being a couple arguing about where to go to dinner.

kerfuffle

(noun) a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict

"row, disturbance," 1970; from 1946 as kafuffle, said to have been used c. 1930 in Canadian English, ultimately from Scottish curfuffle.

The question of “Who made the best ambrosia?” caused more than a kerfuffle at the neighborhood block party; Jennifer threw a punch at Don when he won the contest, and all hell broke loose.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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