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.
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
Stage blood and slime are squirted and splattered higgledy-piggledy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2016
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
We parked among a motley collection of farm wagons and gigs and dogcarts pulled up higgledy-piggledy on the grassy field adjoining the many tents.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
