bedlam
Plural: bedlams
Noun
- A scene of uproar and confusion.
- a state of extreme confusion and disorder
- pejorative terms for an insane asylum
- A place or situation of chaotic uproar, and where confusion prevails.
- An insane person; a lunatic; a madman.
- A lunatic asylum; a madhouse.
Examples
- When he challenged the word ZYMURGY, bedlam erupted at the Scrabble tournament.
Origin / Etymology
From Bedlam, alternative name of the English lunatic asylum, Bethlem Royal Hospital (royal hospital from 1375, mental hospital from 1403) (earlier St Mary of Bethlehem outside Bishopsgate, hospice in existence from 1329, priory established 1247), since used to mean “a place or situation of madness and chaos”. Bedlam as name of hospital attested 1450.
Phonologically, corruption of Bethlem, itself a corruption of Bethlehem (the Biblical town), from Ancient Greek Βηθλεέμ (Bēthleém) from Biblical Hebrew בֵּית לֶחֶם (bêṯ leḥem, literally “house of bread”).
Synonyms
booby hatch, chaos, crazy house, cuckoo's nest, funny farm, funny house, loony bin, madhouse, nut house, nuthouse, pandemonium, sanatorium, snake pit, topsy-turvydom, topsy-turvyness
Scrabble Score: 11
bedlam: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordbedlam: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
bedlam: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary