boisterous
[boi-ster-uh s, -struh s]
- rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy; clamorous; unrestrained: the sound of boisterous laughter.
- (of waves, weather, wind, etc.) rough and stormy.
- Obsolete. rough and massive.
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Origin of boisterous
1425–75; late Middle English boistrous, variant of Middle English boistous crude, strong, fierce, gross; of obscure origin
Synonyms
See more synonyms for boisterous on Thesaurus.com1. uproarious, obstreperous, roistering, loud, vociferous, impetuous. 1, 2. tempestuous, tumultuous, turbulent, violent, wild.
Antonyms
1, 2. calm, serene.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for boisterous
Contemporary Examples
This is not the boisterous version of Pacino, the one we saw as Tony Montana in Scarface or as Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman.
Al Pacino Does What He Wants to Do: 'The Humbling,' Scorsese, and That 'Scarface' RemakeAlex Suskind
September 9, 2014
Those who were part of the original Area scene remember a boisterous party.
Prescriptivist grammarians will have a boisterous time reading Taipei.
The Australian filmmaker Luhrmann, best known for the boisterous Bohemian musical Moulin Rouge!
The Great Gatsby, Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Is a Relentless Assault on the SensesMarlow Stern
May 8, 2013
Convivial by nature, he not doubt joined in when others were celebrating, allowing his boisterous high spirits free rein.
What Mozart Really Looked Like: 14 Portraits of the Composer (Photos and Music)The Daily Beast
February 9, 2013
Historical Examples
The accent was gentle; and he feared no boisterous intrusion.
ImogenWilliam Godwin
The evening was boisterous—scarcely better than the previous night had been.
Barnaby RudgeCharles Dickens
They are not talkative and boisterous as these are, but silent, sullen and revengeful.
Chronicles of Border WarfareAlexander Scott Withers
Fanfulla eyed him, infected by the boisterous gladness of his mood.
Love-at-ArmsRaphael Sabatini
Nothing rude, boisterous, insubordinate, or unkind appeared from any.
The Prison Chaplaincy, And Its ExperiencesHosea Quinby
boisterous
- noisy and lively; unrestrained or unruly
- (of the wind, sea, etc) turbulent or stormy
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Word Origin
C13 boistuous, of unknown origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for boisterous
adj.
late 15c., unexplained alteration of Middle English boistous (c.1300) "rough, coarse (as of food), clumsy, violent," of unknown origin, perhaps from Anglo-French bustous "rough (road)," which is perhaps from Old French boisteos "curved, lame; uneven, rough" (Modern French boiteux), itself of obscure origin. Another guess traces it via Celtic to Latin bestia. Used of persons from 1560s. Related: Boisterously; boisterousness.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper