boisterous

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   violently agitated and turbulent

   Boisterous winds and waves.

2. 2
   adj

   noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline

   A boisterous crowd.

3. 3
   adj

   full of rough and exuberant animal spirits

   Boisterous practical jokes.

From Middle English boistres, an alteration of Middle English boistous (“crude, unrefined”), of uncertain origin. Likely from Anglo-Norman boystous, bustous (“rough, in a crude state, disabled, paralysed, unable to walk, lame”), Old French boitous (“limping; having a rough, uneven surface”).

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