Imbroglio
English
Etymology
Attested from 1750 meaning “a jumble”; by 1818, “a complicated misunderstanding, intricate entanglement” (especially of persons or nations).
Borrowed from Italian imbroglio, from imbrogliare (“to confuse, tangle”), from an assimilated form of in- (“into in, on, upon”), from Proto-Indo-European root *en (“in”), + brogliare (“to embroil”), probably from French brouiller (“to confuse”; compare broil and embroil).
Transliteration
- Katakana: イムブロウリョウ
- Hangul: 임브로울료
Noun
imbroglio (plural imbroglios or imbrogli)
- A complicated situation; an entanglement or confusing set of circumstances.
- A complicated & embarrassing state, serious misunderstanding.
Usage
Often used to describe political, social, or personal situations that have become tangled, messy, or difficult to resolve.
Examples
- The negotiations turned into an imbroglio of conflicting interests.
- What began as a simple misunderstanding quickly escalated into a full-blown imbroglio.
- An imbroglio developed between the representatives of the opposing waifu shippers.