potpourri English · revision 1945

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌpəʊ.pəˈɹiː/, /pəʊˈpʊə.ɹi/ ''(UK)''; /ˌpoʊ.pʊˈɹiː/, /ˈpoʊ.pʊˌɹiː/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|pot pourri|t=rotten pot]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) a loan translation of Spanish ''olla podrida'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from ''pot'' “pot”^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995) and ''pourri'', past participle of ''pourrir'' “to rot”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from Vulgar Latin ''*putrire'',^(AHD)^(Etymonline) from [[la|putrescere|t=to grow rotten]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[putrid]].^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A stew of mixed meats and vegetables cooked together (1611; 1610s in Etymonline).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The idea of a medley led to the sense of a fragrant mixture of dried flowers, herbs and spices kept to scent a room (1749).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) The figurative sense of a miscellaneous collection, first used in music, is recorded from 1855.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) The stew sense survives only as a rare use.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1611 – a stew of mixed meats.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1749 – a mixture of dried petals and spices.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1855 – a miscellaneous collection, first in music.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A mixture of dried petals, herbs and spices used to scent the air.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A miscellaneous collection or medley, as of songs or writings.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A combination of unrelated things.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A stew of meat and vegetables.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[olla podrida]]

+ * [[putrid]]

+ * [[hodgepodge]]

+ * [[medley]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}