kerfuffle

noun

ker·​fuf·​fle kər-ˈfə-fəl How to pronounce kerfuffle (audio)
plural kerfuffles
informal
: a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict
In all the kerfuffle, nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly.J. K. Rowling
It's not the only school with dress code issues; almost every week there's a local story about some kerfuffle over what kids wear to school.Belinda Luscombe

Did you know?

The Evolution of Kerfuffle

Fuffle is an old Scottish verb that means “to muss” or “to throw into disarray”—in other words, to (literally) ruffle someone’s (figurative) feathers. The addition of car-, possibly from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning “wrong” or “awkward,” didn’t change its meaning much. In the 19th century carfuffle, with its variant curfuffle, became a noun, which in the 20th century was embraced by a broader population of English speakers and standardized to kerfuffle, referring to a more figurative feather-ruffling. There is some kerfuffle among language historians over how the altered spelling came to be favored. One theory holds that it might have been influenced by onomatopoeic words like kerplunk that imitate the sound of a falling object hitting a surface.

Examples of kerfuffle in a Sentence

predictably, the royal scandal caused quite a kerfuffle on Fleet Street
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In this election cycle — four years after federal agents foiled a kidnapping plot against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and just weeks after two assassination attempts on the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump — political kerfuffles seem to be getting more public attention. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 27 Sep. 2024 This monumental problem seems to exceed any kerfuffle of whether there are more wheels or doors in the world. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 First day of testimonies:Family remember final talks with victims in Delphi murder trial The day began with a slight kerfuffle, with law enforcement officers confiscating cameras from several journalists, including a Gannett photojournalist, after jurors arrived at the courthouse. Jordan Smith, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Oct. 2024 The announcement followed a kerfuffle earlier in the year, when the building was being sold at auction, and an unknown bidder, Jacob Garlick, won with a bid of $190 million. Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for kerfuffle 

Word History

Etymology

alteration of carfuffle, from Scots car- (probably from Scottish Gaelic cearr wrong, awkward) + fuffle to become disheveled

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kerfuffle was in 1908

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Cite this Entry

“Kerfuffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kerfuffle. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

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