helter-skelter

[ hel-ter-skel-ter ]

adverb

1. in headlong and disorderly haste:

   The children ran helter-skelter all over the house.

2. in a haphazard manner; without regard for order:

   Clothes were scattered helter-skelter about the room.

adjective

1. carelessly hurried; confused:

   They ran in a mad, helter-skelter fashion for the exits.

2. disorderly; haphazard:

   Books and papers were scattered on the desk in a helter-skelter manner.

noun

1. tumultuous disorder; confusion.

helter-skelter

/ ˈhɛltəˈskɛltə /

adjective

1. haphazard or carelessly hurried

adverb

1. in a helter-skelter manner

noun

1. a high spiral slide, as at a fairground
2. disorder or haste

Word History and Origins

Origin of helter-skelter¹

First recorded in 1585–95; rhyming compound, perhaps based on unattested skelt, Middle English skelten “to hasten”; further origin unknown); reduplication with initial h parallel to hubble-bubble, higgledy-piggledy, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of helter-skelter¹

C16: probably of imitative origin

Related Words

• haphazard
• headlong
• jumbled