humdrum

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈhʌmdɹʌm/^[1]

Etymology

It is a reduplication of hum,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} perhaps with the second part influenced by drum.^[3] Random House records an earlier form humtrum.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Monotonous, dull, commonplace (1553).^[7][3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

As a noun the word first meant a dull person (1590s)^[4][7] and from 1727 dullness or monotonous talk.^[4][7] A plural humdrums meaning “low spirits” (1757) is obsolete.^[7]

Timeline

• 1553 – dull, monotonous.^[7][3][4][5]
• 1598 – noun, a dull person.^[7][4]
• 1727 – noun, monotony.^[7][4]
• 1733 – verb, to proceed in a dull way.^[7]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Lacking variety or excitement; monotonous and dull.

Noun

1. Monotonous routine or talk.
2. (archaic) A dull person.

Word family

• humdrumness

Usage notes

Random House gives tedious, routine, mundane and tiresome as synonyms.^[6]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c 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