1 farrago | Definition of farrago
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

farrago

noun
far·​ra·​go | \ fə-ˈrĂ€-(ˌ)gƍ How to pronounce farrago (audio) , -ˈrā- How to pronounce farrago (audio) \
plural farragoes

Definition of farrago

: a confused mixture : hodgepodge
Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about farrago

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

Farrago might seem an unlikely relative of "farina" (the mealy breakfast cereal), but the two terms have their roots in the same Latin noun. Both derive from "far," the Latin name for "spelt" (a type of grain). In Latin, farrago meant "mixed fodder" - cattle feed, that is. It was also used more generally to mean "mixture." When it was adopted into English in the early 1600s, "farrago" retained the "mixture" sense of its ancestor. Today, we often use it for a jumble or medley of disorganized, haphazard, or even nonsensical ideas or elements.

Examples of farrago in a Sentence

the shop is filled with a whimsical farrago of artwork, antiques, and vintage clothing

Recent Examples on the Web

 Said plot includes landslides, FBI agents, pharmaceutical mix-ups, family interventions, and journeys to the South Pole — a farrago of farce that never quite jells with the movie’s serious concerns. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "Cate Blanchett makes a break for it in ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’," 15 Aug. 2019 True to form, Ms. Lipman blends a pair of highly appealing love stories into this farrago. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction: The Flavor of the American Century," 15 Feb. 2019 As Voltaire/Pangloss, Kevin Burdette made a brilliantly cynical cicerone through this farrago. — Heidi Waleson, WSJ, "Staging Reimagined Stories in New Mexico," 6 Aug. 2018 The website that says it is associated with Operational Forces Action, A.F.O. in French, is a farrago of threats and vague ideology. — Adam Nossiter, New York Times, "Shadowy Cell in France Plotted to Kill Muslim Civilians, Authorities Say," 28 June 2018 Indeed, the farrago signalled his strength as well as his weakness. — The Economist, "A blot against America," 23 June 2018 Her childhood had been quietly calamitous, her father's career a farrago of alcoholism, shame, and secret homosexuality. — Michael Chabon, GQ, "Michael Chabon: Are Kids the Enemy of Writing?," 27 Apr. 2018 Yet there are two reasons to find hope in this farrago. — The Economist, "Racial progress and the NFL," 30 Sep. 2017 Spicer’s overture statement was a farrago of false assertions, misleading stats, and embattled attitude, putting those Beltway press-corps punks on notice that there was a new sheriff in town. — James Wolcott, The Hive, "There’s Nowhere Left for Sean Spicer to Hide," 4 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'farrago.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of farrago

1632, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for farrago

Latin farragin-, farrago mixed fodder, mixture, from far spelt — more at barley

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on farrago

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for farrago

Britannica English: Translation of farrago for Arabic Speakers

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!