Word of the Day: RAMBUNCTIOUS

Boisterous and brash

rambunctious (adj) - marked by uncontrollable exuberance; unruly, wild, and energetic [ram-buhngk-shuhs]

BREAKDOWN: Rambunctious is a relatively new though certainly welcome addition to the English language, first noted in 1830. The word is linked to rumbustious, a similar term more popular in the 19th century. Rumbustious is itself of uncertain derivation, perhaps derived from the combination of RUM- (good) or RAM- (very) + bumptious (unpleasantly self-assertive). This time period was marked by many creative variants of these words including rambunxious, rambumptious, and rumgumptious.

“Nothing sends patriarchy scuttling
under covers of propriety
faster than rambunctious peals of laughter
emanating from rubicund lips” ―Nalini Priyadarshni

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not derived from classical roots.]