hubbub

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈhʌbʌb/^[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain;^[2][3] it is probably Irish.^[4][3][5][6] It may be related to Scottish Gaelic ub, ubub, a Gaelic interjection of aversion or contempt,^{[4][2][3][5][6]} or to abu, an ancient Irish war cry.^[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The confused shouting of a crowd, especially a war cry or hue and cry (1555, as whobub).^{[7][2][3][5][4]}

Semantic evolution

The AHD notes that the word first appeared in the phrase Irish hubbub^[4] and suggests that its borrowing may reflect English contempt for the Celtic peoples.^[4] By 1619 it meant noisy turmoil or a disturbance,^[7] and by 1779 the milder sense of the mingled din of a crowd of speakers.^[7] The New England colonists also used it as the name of a noisy game played by Native Americans (1634).^[7][4]

Timeline

• 1555 – whobub, confused shouting.^[7][2][5]
• 1619 – turmoil, confusion.^[7]
• 1634 – a Native American game.^[7]
• 1779 – the din of many voices.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A loud, confused noise, as of many voices; a din.
2. Confusion; tumult or uproar.

Related words

• hullabaloo
• din
• uproar

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e f g The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press