jungle

jun·gle

noun, often attributive \ˈjəŋ-gəl\

Definition of JUNGLE

1

a : an impenetrable thicket or tangled mass of tropical vegetation b : a tract overgrown with thickets or masses of vegetation

2

: a hobo camp

3

a (1) : a confused or disordered mass of objects : jumble (2) : something that baffles or frustrates by its tangled or complex character : maze <the jungle of housing laws — Bernard Taper> b : a place of ruthless struggle for survival <the city is a jungle where no one is safe after dark — Stuart Chase>

4

: electronic dance music that combines elements of techno, reggae, and hip-hop and is marked especially by an extremely fast beat

— jun·gle·like \-gə(l)-ˌlīk\ adjective

— jun·gly \-g(ə-)lē\ adjective

Examples of JUNGLE

1. life in the corporate jungle
2. It's hard to succeed in the business world. It's a jungle out there.
3. a jungle of environmental laws

Origin of JUNGLE

Hindi jaṅgal & Urdu jangal forest, from Sanskrit jaṅgala desert region

First Known Use: 1776

Related to JUNGLE

Synonyms: agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, miscellany, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter

Related Words: detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries; accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration; catchall; admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up; bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast [chiefly British], mess, morass, muddle, shambles; imbroglio, knot, snarl, tangle

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Rhymes with JUNGLE

bungle, fungal, pungle