Imbroglio definition

ĭm-brōlyō

Words form:

Frequency:

An involved and confusing situation; state of confusion and complication.

noun

A difficult or intricate situation; an entanglement.

noun

The definition of an imbroglio is an embarrassing and often complex mess or misunderstanding.

When your wife and mistress show up at the same time for a dinner date, this is an example of an imbroglio.

noun

(archaic) A confused heap; a tangle.

noun

A confused or complicated disagreement.

noun

(rare) A confused heap.

noun

A confused misunderstanding or disagreement.

noun

noun

Alternative Forms

Alternative Form of imbroglio - embroglio

Singular:

imbroglio

Plural:

imbroglios

Italian from Old Italian from imbrogliare to tangle, confuse in- in (from Latin in–²) brogliare to mix, stir (probably from Old French brooiller, brouiller broil²)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Italian imbroglio (“tangle”), from imbrogliare (“to tangle”), cognate with and probably from an earlier form of French embrouiller (“muddle, embroil”), from em- (“en-”) + brouiller.

From Wiktionary