higgledy-piggledy
Americanadverb
adjective
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of higgledy-piggledy
First recorded in 1590–1600; rhyming compound of uncertain origin
Explanation
When something happens higgledy-piggledy, it's chaotic and disorganized. If you build your Lego tower higgledy-piggledy, it may end up too tall and narrow, making it that much easier for your brother to knock it over. You can use this word, known as a "reduplicated phrase" for the rhyming repetition of its sounds, as an adjective and an adverb. So your dad may object to the higgledy-piggledy state of your room, and you might respond by throwing everything higgledy-piggledy into your closet. It's a great word that perfectly illustrates disorder or confusion. Unlike other reduplicated phrases such as hanky-panky or helter-skelter, higgledy-piggledy is a rare double dactyl, a repeated three-syllable word that stresses the first syllable.
Vocabulary lists containing higgledy-piggledy
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
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A Light in the Darkness
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Cat's Cradle
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
L.A.’s higgledy-piggledy architecture is one of our most charming characteristics.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025
Ukrainians upload a higgledy-piggledy stream of information about Russians killed in the war on several channels on the Telegram messaging application, including the names of the deceased.
From New York Times • Dec. 18, 2022
Moreover, the liver does not just expand higgledy-piggledy in the animals.
From Science Magazine • Nov. 15, 2022
There are narrow alleys between tight-packed makeshift houses that sit higgledy-piggledy on top of each other - and the trees have grown to provide much-needed shade.
From BBC • Aug. 11, 2014
“Look at the furniture higgledy-piggledy in the corridor.”
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
