Dictionary

discombobulation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

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Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ▲ Proto-Indo-European *trísinflu. Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des-bor. ▲ Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- English compose English discompose English discombobulate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English discombobulation From discombobulate + -ion.

Meanings

1. (countable, humorous, uncountable) An embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused.
   • This quality or state of not having your act quite together lacks its own word in the dictionary. It is something short of discombobulation, but the mild, mental chafing is irritating enough to demand a remedy. 2012 June 8, Ron Lieber, “Planning a Financial Tuneup”, in The New York Times:
   • Prophet of o'er-population, your ingenious calculation, Causeth discombobulation only in the anxious mind 1890 September 20, “The Ravenstein”, in Punch; or, The London Charivari, page 138:
2. (countable, uncountable) A confused or disorderly state.
   • What has changed since the time of Looney Tunes is the discombobulation of characters' faces. Eyeballs constantly bulge beyond normal proportion to show shock or jubilation; cheeks shrink, sag or even bend in shame, fatigue or anger. Each emotion is heightened, overemphasized with cubist contortions. 2005 July 8, Ned Martel, “Manically Happy Campers and Rich but Vicious Cats”, in The New York Times:

Forms

Deriveds

pericombobulation

Translations (10)

hu összezavartság (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · fi hämmennys (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · hu összezavarodottság (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · sh konsterniranost (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · cmn 困惑 (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · hu zavarodottság (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · de Verwirrung (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · ro consternare (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · sh zbunjenost (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused) · pl konsternacja (an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused)