Kerfluffle

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A commotion, fuss, or confused disturbance, often over something relatively minor or trivial
2. A noisy disturbance or uproar that arises from a disagreement or controversy, usually concerning something of little importance
3. An instance of chaotic disagreement or heated discussion that leads to a disruption, especially over trivial matters

Etymology: Kerfluffle is the alternative spelling of "kerfuffle," and the word for a noisy commotion over something trivial has a murky ancestry. Its most likely source is Scots "curfuffle," a word built from "ker-" and "fuffle," which suggests a bustling disturbance. Some scholars instead link it to the Irish phrase "cíor thuathail," meaning confusion or bewilderment, and to the modern Welsh "cythrwfl," meaning uproar or agitation. The Welsh parallel is striking, since it points to a shared stock of Celtic words for a fuss, though the exact route between these languages remains uncertain.

Synonyms: commotion, disturbance

Antonyms: calm, peace