Hugger-mugger: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Hugger-mugger noun. Secrecy and concealment.
How to say it
HUG-uh-mug-uh/ˈhʌɡəˌmʌɡə/
4 syllables, stressed on the first (HUG).
Meanings
- Secrecy and concealment.
- Confusion or muddle.
Hugger-mugger in a sentence
The deal was done in hugger-mugger, with no minutes taken.
The spare room is a hugger-mugger of boxes and bike parts.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- secrecy
- concealment
- muddle
- jumble
Opposite:
- openness
Where hugger-mugger comes from
A rhyming word from the 1500s of uncertain origin; Shakespeare used it in Hamlet.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The spare room is a _____ of boxes and bike parts.
- ninnyhammer
- hugger-mugger
- jollification
Show the answer
hugger-mugger: The spare room is a hugger-mugger of boxes and bike parts.