brouhaha
[broo-hah-hah, broo-hah-hah, broo-hah-hah]
- excited public interest, discussion, or the like, as the clamor attending some sensational event; hullabaloo: The brouhaha followed disclosures of graft at City Hall.
- an episode involving excitement, confusion, turmoil, etc., especially a broil over a minor or ridiculous cause: A brouhaha by the baseball players resulted in three black eyes.
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Origin of brouhaha
1885–90; < French, orig. brou, ha, ha! exclamation used by characters representing the devil in the 16th-cent. drama; perhaps < Hebrew, distortion of the recited phrase bārūkh habbā (beshēm ădhōnai) “blessed is he who comes (in the name of the Lord)” (Ps. 118:26)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for brouhaha
Contemporary Examples
Then came the book tour, and the brouhaha following that NPR interview.
According to the blog, she soon “backtracked” on her comments, deleting the Facebook thread, and calling the brouhaha “childish.”
As Eleanor Clift recently lamented, the brouhaha in Congress over food stamps is not just about budgets.
Abraham Foxman, the national director of Anti-Defamation League, reacting to the Bieber brouhaha, said as much.
Sino-Japanese frictions would be on the uptick about now even without the Diaoyu brouhaha.
Historical Examples
From afar the rumors of revelry, the brouhaha of a mad population, saluted his deaf ears, the distant music of lutes and viols.
Dreamers of the GhettoI. Zangwill
It was then I realized the Chief was still sitting in his chair, where he had been when the brouhaha started.
Arm of the LawHarry Harrison
brouhaha
- a loud confused noise; commotion; uproar
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Word Origin
French, of imitative 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 brouhaha
n.
1890, from French brouhaha (1550s), said by Gamillscheg to have been, in medieval theater, "the cry of the devil disguised as clergy." Perhaps from Hebrew barukh habba' "blessed be the one who comes," used on public occasions (cf. Psalm 118).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper