holus-bolus

[hoh-luhs-boh-luhs]

adverb

1. all at once; altogether.

holus-bolus

/ ˈhəʊləsˈbəʊləs /

adverb

1. informal,  all at once

Word History and Origins

Origin of holus-bolus¹

First recorded in 1840–50; mock-Latin rhyming compound based on the phrase whole bolus, or possibly a Latinization of Greek hólos bôlos “whole lump, clod of earth, nugget”; whole, bolus

Word History and Origins

Origin of holus-bolus¹

C19: pseudo-Latin based on whole bolus; see _bolus