topsy-turvy

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌtɒpsɪˈtəːvi/ (UK); /ˌtɑpsiˈtɚvi/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is probably formed from tops, plural of top,^[2][3][4][5] and obsolete terve “to turn upside down”,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Middle English terven.^[2][3][4] Random House suggests it may be a variant of top syd turvye “top side down”.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In utter confusion (1528),^[3][7][5] and upside down (1530).^[3][7]

Semantic evolution

The OED suggests the phrase was probably in popular use before it was written.^[4] The Century Dictionary, cited by Etymonline, lists 31 variants, many of them altered to suggest a plausible origin, such as topside turvy and topside the other way.^[4][7] The adjective is dated 1612 by Merriam-Webster and 1618 by Barnhart,^[5][3] and the noun 1655.^[5]

Timeline

• 1528 – in utter confusion.^[7][3][5]
• 1530 – upside down.^[7][3]
• 1612 – adjective.^[5]
• 1655 – noun.^[5]

Modern meaning

Adverb

1. Upside down.
2. In utter confusion or disorder.

Adjective

1. Confused or disordered; turned upside down.

Noun

1. A state of confusion or chaos.

Word family

• topsy-turvily
• topsy-turviness
• topsy-turvydom

References

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