Higgledy-piggledy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb adjective /ˌhi-gəl-dē-ˈpi-gəl-dē/ hig·gle·dy-pig·gle·dy

Meaning & Definition of Higgledy-piggledy

Higgledy-piggledy (adverb)

  1. in a confused, disordered, or random manner

Higgledy-piggledy (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness

    "the quilt was a higgledy-piggledy patchwork of odd-shaped fabric scraps, each of which held a fond memory for the family"

    similar: chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, disorderly, hugger-mugger, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled, mussed, mussy, pell-mell, rumpled, sloppy, topsy-turvy, tousled, tumbled, unkempt, untidy, upside-down, at sixes and sevens, out of joint
    related: bedraggled, befouled, begrimed, bemired, besmirched, blackened, cruddy, dingy, dirty, draggled, filthy, foul, grimy, grotty (chiefly British), grubby, grungy, mucky, nasty, smudged, soiled, spotted, squalid, stained, sullied, unclean, uncleanly, dowdy, frowsy, shaggy, slatternly, sloven, slovenly, uncombed, wrinkled, adulterated, contaminated, defiled, polluted, tainted, knotted, snarled, tangled, seedy, shabby, sleazy, sordid, neglected, neglectful, negligent
    opposite: bandbox, crisp, kempt, neat, neatened, ordered, orderly, organized, shipshape, snug, tidied, tidy, trim, uncluttered, well-ordered
    near: antiseptic, clean, cleaned, cleanly, hygienic, immaculate, sparkling, spick-and-span, spotless, stainless, unsoiled, unsullied, methodical, regular, systematic, systematized, careful, fastidious, finicky, fussy, meticulous, combed, groomed, manicured, well-groomed, taintless, undefiled, unpolluted, untainted, wholesome

Higgledy-piggledy (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in topsy-turvy

    similar: topsy-turvy, disconnectedly, disjointedly, fitfully, intermittently, spottily, unpredictably, accidentally, fortuitously, inadvertently, unconsciously, unintentionally, unwittingly, arbitrarily, capriciously, carelessly, casually, indiscriminately, informally, offhand, offhandedly, promiscuously, whimsically, aimlessly, anyhow, anyway, anywise, desultorily, erratically, haphazard, haphazardly, helter-skelter, hit or miss, irregularly, randomly, willy-nilly
    opposite: methodically, systematically, carefully, formally, gingerly, meticulously, orderly, punctiliously, deliberately, intentionally, purposefully, purposely

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Higgledy-piggledy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Higgledy-piggledy:

chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, disorderly, hugger-mugger, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled, mussed, mussy, pell-mell, rumpled, sloppy, topsy-turvy, tousled, tumbled, unkempt, untidy, upside-down, at sixes and sevens, out of joint, disconnectedly, disjointedly, fitfully, intermittently, spottily, unpredictably, accidentally, fortuitously, inadvertently, unconsciously, unintentionally, unwittingly, arbitrarily

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Higgledy-piggledy

Words with the opposite meaning of Higgledy-piggledy:

bandbox, crisp, kempt, neat, neatened, ordered, orderly, organized, shipshape, snug, tidied, tidy, trim, uncluttered, well-ordered, methodically, systematically, carefully, formally, gingerly, meticulously, punctiliously, deliberately, intentionally, purposefully, purposely

Related Words for Higgledy-piggledy

bedraggled, befouled, begrimed, bemired, besmirched, blackened, cruddy, dingy, dirty, draggled, filthy, foul, grimy, grotty, grubby, grungy, mucky, nasty, smudged, soiled, spotted, squalid, stained, sullied, unclean, uncleanly, dowdy, frowsy, shaggy, slatternly

Near Antonyms of Higgledy-piggledy

antiseptic, clean, cleaned, cleanly, hygienic, immaculate, sparkling, spick-and-span, spotless, stainless, unsoiled, unsullied, methodical, regular, systematic, systematized, careful, fastidious, finicky, fussy, meticulous, combed, groomed, manicured, well-groomed, taintless, undefiled, unpolluted, untainted, wholesome

Word Forms of Higgledy-piggledy

Derived words: higgledy-piggledy (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Higgledy-piggledy

origin unknown

First known use: 1598

Frequently Asked Questions about Higgledy-piggledy

What does "Higgledy-piggledy" mean?

"Higgledy-piggledy" means in a confused, disordered, or random manner. As an an adverb and an adjective, it is defined as: in a confused, disordered, or random manner. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Higgledy-piggledy"?

Other words for "Higgledy-piggledy" include chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered and disorderly. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Higgledy-piggledy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Higgledy-piggledy"?

There are 111 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Higgledy-piggledy". Common alternatives include chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, disorderly, hugger-mugger and jumbled.

What is the opposite of "Higgledy-piggledy"?

Antonyms of "Higgledy-piggledy" include bandbox, crisp, kempt, neat, neatened, ordered, orderly and organized. Near antonyms include antiseptic, clean, cleaned and cleanly.

How do you use "Higgledy-piggledy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Higgledy-piggledy" in a sentence: "the quilt was a higgledy-piggledy patchwork of odd-shaped fabric scraps, each of which held a fond memory for the family".

Is "Higgledy-piggledy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Higgledy-piggledy" can be used as an adverb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Higgledy-piggledy"?

"Higgledy-piggledy" is pronounced /ˌhi-gəl-dē-ˈpi-gəl-dē/ and divided into syllables as hig·gle·dy-pig·gle·dy.

What is the origin of the word "Higgledy-piggledy"?

"Higgledy-piggledy" comes from origin unknown. First known use: 1598.