imbroglio

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪmˈbɹəʊljəʊ/ (UK); /ɪmˈbɹoʊljoʊ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian imbroglio (“confusion”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from imbrogliare “to entangle, confuse”,^[2][3][4][5] from in- and brogliare “to embroil”,^[2][3][4][6] probably from French brouiller “to confuse”.^[2][3][4][5] It is related to embroil and broil.^{[2][3][4][5][1]}

Earliest recorded meaning

A confused heap or jumble (1750).^[7][3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

From 1818 the word meant a state of great confusion and entanglement, a complicated situation or misunderstanding, especially in politics or drama.^[7][3][4] This is now the main sense.^[2][5][6]

Timeline

• 1750 – a confused heap.^[7][3][4][5]
• 1818 – a complicated, entangled situation.^[7][3][4]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A complicated, confused or embarrassing situation; an entanglement.
2. A confused or bitter disagreement, as between people or nations.
3. A confused heap; a tangle.

Related words

• embroil
• broil

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press