rigmarole

American  

[rig-muh-rohl] / ˈrɪg məˌroʊl /

Also rigamarole

noun

1. an elaborate or complicated procedure.

   to go through the rigmarole of a formal dinner.

2. confused, incoherent, foolish, or meaningless talk.

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rigmarole British  

/ ˈrɪɡməˌrəʊl /

noun

1. any long complicated procedure

2. a set of incoherent or pointless statements; garbled nonsense

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Usage

What is a rigmarole? A rigmarole is an elaborate or complicated procedure, as in Registering and insuring a car involves a lot of rigmarole. A rigmarole is any process or procedure that is overly complicated to the point that it may seem pointless or annoying to those who have to complete it. People will often refer to long, drawn-out explanations or formal introductions as rigmaroles. They will also frequently describe repetitive procedures, such as checking in, waiting in line for, or signing up for something, as rigmaroles. A rigmarole can also be confused, incoherent, foolish, or meaningless talk, as in The speaker just gave us a lot of rigmarole instead of any insight into the problem. This meaning is almost always used as an insult relating to speeches one disagrees with or an explanation that may have been too complex for them to understand. It is also sometimes used in reference to someone who speaks extremely fast or who uses obtuse or foreign vocabulary when speaking. Rigmarole can also be spelled rigamarole, which is pronounced rig-uh-ma-rohl. Example: Before I give the whole rigmarole, I would like to introduce my co-hosts.

Etymology

Origin of rigmarole

First recorded in 1730–40; alteration of ragman roll

Explanation

Rigmarole is a good word for talking about situations that involve filling out confusing forms, standing in lines, or following complex rules. Getting a driver's license, enrolling for college classes, and applying for a visa to travel abroad can all feel like rigmarole. In the 1700s, rigmarole meant "a long rambling discourse." It's thought to be a shortened form of ragman roll, which was a long legal document sewn into a roll in thirteenth century England and Scotland.

Example Sentences

This road," added the Wizard, "leads to Rigmarole Town.

From The Emerald City of Oz by Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank)

So the Wizard stopped a boy and asked: "Is this Rigmarole Town?"

From The Emerald City of Oz by Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank)

The place seemed even larger than Rigmarole Town, but was not so attractive in appearance.

From The Emerald City of Oz by Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank)

O the "cabriolets, neatflies," and blue twaddlers of both sexes therein, that drive many a poor Mrs. Rigmarole to the Devil!*—As for me, I continue doing as nearly nothing as I can manage.

From The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I by Carlyle, Thomas

"It's a rigmarole because the boy is a Rigmarole and we've come to Rigmarole Town."

From The Emerald City of Oz by Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank)