discombobulate

[prettygoodword]

discombobulate (dis-kum-BOB-yuh-lait) - v., to throw into a state of confusion, disconcert, befuddle.


Coined in the 1830s, apparently from disconcert or discompose. Other early forms included discombobricate, discomboberate, and discombobracate -- I'm not clear on when -bobulate was settled on as the standard form.

---L.

Comments

[movingfinger]

It's hard to overlook "discobulus" as a possible source, by some non-obvious path.

[prettygoodword]

VERY non-obvious.

Recombobulation

[mount_oregano]

My home town did this at its airport:

https://www.cjr.org/language_corner/one-word-you-thought-the-tsa-would-never-use-recombobulation.php

Re: Recombobulation

[prettygoodword]

That is awesome.