tohubohu

American  

[toh-hoo-boh-hoo] / ˈtoʊ huˈboʊ hu /

noun

1. chaos; disorder; confusion.

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Etymology

Origin of tohubohu

First recorded in 1605–15; < Hebrew tōhū wā-bhōhū “unformed and empty” (hendiadys)

Explanation

Use the word tohubohu to mean complete chaos or pandemonium. Just imagine the tohubohu if everyone in your class brought their pets to school on the same day. Any out-of-control, overwhelming, or deeply confusing situation can be described as tohubohu, from political conflicts to an elephant stampede to a high school cafeteria at lunchtime. If it's total pandemonium, it's tohubohu. This word derives from the Biblical Hebrew tohu wa-bohu, which appears in Genesis as a description of the utter formless chaos before God created light. It combines two words meaning "void" to emphasize the sense of emptiness.