Building a Better Vocabulary

that ensues when your annoying cousin makes yet another

controversial comment at the next family reunion.

Imbroglio (noun)

1. $VWDWHRIJUHDWFRQIXVLRQDQGHQWDQJOHPHQWDFRPSOLFDWHGGLI¿FXOW
   or embarrassing situation.


2. A complex misunderstanding, disagreement, or dispute—sometimes
   of a bitter nature.

z Imbroglio comes from an Italian word that means “to confuse” and

is related to the English word embroiled, which means “thrown into

a state of confusion.”

z Interestingly, imbroglio is also related to broil, broth, and brew. The

spelling-meaning connection in English again provides us with a

wonderful visual image to help us remember this word. When you

see imbroglio, focus on the middle of the word and think of broil

and broth. Visualizing a broiling broth with all the ingredients

jumbled together will help you remember the distinguishing

features of imbroglio—a confused, entangled mess.

z .HUIXIÀH is a synonym for imbroglio of Scot-Gaelic origin; it

also refers to a commotion, controversy, or fuss. Other synonyms

include brouhaha, hullabaloo, hubbub, and hurly-burly.

Bellicose (adjective)

Warlike, pugnacious, aggressively hostile.

z Bellicose shares the root bell with a number of other words, such as

belligerence, antebellum, and rebellion. This root is from the Latin

noun bellum, meaning “war.”

z A good key word for the root bell is rebellion7KH/DWLQSUH¿[

re- means “back or again,” as in redo. Thus, a rebellion involves