tumult

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈtuːmʌlt/ UK /ˈtjuːmʌlt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a state of noisy confusion or disorder, especially involving an excited crowd

A disputed decision can cause the meeting to erupt into tumult.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a state of noisy confusion... commotion uproar disorder

More turmoil pandemonium chaos clamor

Opposites

calm tranquility order quiet serenity

Word family

Derived forms tumultuoustumultuary

Related forms tumultuous

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

erupt into tumult
suddenly become full of loud confusion, commotion, or disorder

Verb + preposition/particle

Simplified etymology

Tumult entered English in the later Middle Ages and ultimately derives from the Latin verb tumere, meaning “to swell.” The same Latin family includes tuber, “hump” or “swelling,” and may also underlie truffle.

Etymology

From Latin tumultus ('commotion, uproar, disturbance'), from tumere ('to swell, be excited'), from Proto-Indo-European *teue- ('to swell').

tumultus Latin tumere Latin *teue- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# tumult

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈtuːmʌlt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈtjuːmʌlt/

## Meanings
1. a state of noisy confusion or disorder, especially involving an excited crowd

## Examples
- A disputed decision can cause the meeting to erupt into tumult.

## Synonyms
- commotion
- uproar
- turmoil
- pandemonium
- disorder
- chaos
- clamor

## Antonyms
- calm
- tranquility
- order
- quiet
- serenity

## Derived Forms
- tumultuous
- tumultuary

## Related Forms
- tumultuous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: tumultus
- Root: tumere
- Root: *teue-

## Etymology
From Latin tumultus ('commotion, uproar, disturbance'), from tumere ('to swell, be excited'), from Proto-Indo-European *teue- ('to swell').

## AI Etymology
Tumult is from Latin tumultus ('commotion, uproar, disturbance'), from tumere ('to swell, be excited'), from Proto-Indo-European *teue- ('to swell'). Important recorded forms include tumultus (Latin), tumere (Latin), and *teue- (Proto-Indo-European). The current sense covers a loud, confused noise or a state of violent disorder and commotion. The wider family includes derived forms such as tumultuous and tumultuary and related words such as tumultuous.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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