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Make Your Point > Archived Issues > FARRAGO

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pronounce FARRAGO:

fuh RAY go

Hear it.

connect this word to others:

If you're like me, you've got a drawer somewhere that holds a farrago of paper clips, mysterious keys, tiny screwdrivers that you'll need as soon as you throw them away, light bulbs of dubious wattage, and expired coupons that you definitely should have used.

By calling that whole mess a farrago, we're comparing it to a heap of various grains, suitable for animals to eat but not so much for humans.

We could have called it a jumble, a mishmash, a hodgepodge, an o__o, a sal__g__di, or a b___ll_b__sse. Those last three synonyms all imply comparisons to various dishes that are, in fact, suitable for human consumption. Bonus points if you can recall not just the words, but also the type of dish that each literally refers to!

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

We took the word "farrago" straight from Latin, where it meant both "a mixture of different grains to feed to animals" and "a various mixture or medley of anything."

In English, a farrago of things is a messy or jumbled mixture of things.

In other words, a farrago is a mishmash, a hodgepodge, a heap of various things.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Noun, the countable kind. We use it most often in the singular: "a farrago of hair accessories;" "a farrago of half-truths, bald lies, and cherry-picked data points."

Other forms: 

There's a rare adjective, "farraginous." And an even rarer one that I think we should popularize, "farraginary." 

You probably won't need a plural noun, but if you do, you can spell it "farragos" or "farragoes."

how to use it:

When the phrase "hot mess" is too slangy and casual, pick the rare, sophisticated word "farrago." It helps you describe a messy array or collection, one that's at least slightly unpleasant. You can use it as a colorful insult, a warm compliment, or anything in between. It depends on your tone.

For example, you could complain about the farrago of thoughts that keep you up at night, the farrago of asinine and loosely-enforced rules in your office, or the farrago of grammar errors all over your homework assignment. Or you could refer to some movie, album, book, sketch comedy show, or any other creation as a farrago, meaning it's a hot mess of various bits.

examples:

"A famous medieval map of the world... the Mappa Mundi... is a magnificent farrago of best guesses, classical locations, Biblical myth, and not a lot of sea."
   — David Mitchell, The New Yorker, 13 September 2018

"The New York of Chronic City is a farrago of rumours, mirages and false identities where everything that is most desirable wavers just beyond reach or may not even exist."
   — Laura Miller The Guardian, 14 January 2011

has this page helped you understand "farrago"?

   

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.


study it:

Explain the meaning of "farrago" without saying "messy combination" or "varied collection."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "Don't (read or watch) (some book or show); it's a foul farrago of (various bad or stupid things)."

Example 1: "Don't read The Alchemist; it's a foul farrago of fluff, repetition, and pseudowisdom."

Example 2: "Advice: don't read
A Clockwork Orange – it's a foul farrago
Of made-up words that bite and bash and bleed.
I've written better books… So have other men, indeed.
Read Hamlet, Shelley, Keats, Doctor Zhivago.”
   — Anthony Burgess, Collected Poems, 2020




before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for April: Interpret the Titles!

I'll give you the title of some book, movie, or other creation, along with a summary, and I'll challenge you to interpret the title in three different ways.

For examples, and some tips if you get stuck, head here!

Try this last one today: Felicity was a 1998-2002 TV series created by J. J. Abrams and Matt Reeves. Here's a summary from the wiki: "Felicity is a smart, talented and shy girl, who dreams of attending Stanford on her way to becoming a doctor, like her father. A part of her feels shoehorned into a pre-ordained life by her father's expectations and so, on a whim Felicity follows her high school crush Ben Covington to the University of New York. Felicity slowly discovers her sudden impulse isn't really about a boy at all, but about the chance to decide for herself what her future and life will be."

1. It's titled Felicity because... ?

2. It's titled Felicity because... ?

3. It's titled Felicity because... ?

To see some possible answers, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. Near-opposites of FARRAGO include

A. OUTPUT, HARVEST, and FIRST FRUITS.
B. WALTZ, SPECTACLE, and FANDANGO.
C. MORSEL, DELICACY, and PIECE DE RESISTANCE.

2. When Richard Corliss affectionately described Act I of Into the Woods as "a farrago of fairy tales," he was implying that the story was _____.

A. a fabulous mess
B. a fabulous allegory
C. a fabulous achievement in musical theater




Answers to the review questions:
1. C
2. A

Possible answers to the game questions:

1. It's titled Felicity because the protagonist is named Felicity.

2. It's titled Felicity because one of the meanings of "felicity" is "delight or happiness," and the protagonist is a delightful, happy-go-lucky person.

3. It's titled Felicity because another meaning of "felicity" is "good luck, or a surprising, impressive turn of events," and it's impressively lucky that Felicity gets to find success and happiness after making such an impulsive, stupid choice by following a crush to his college.


a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
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      How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
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      How to motivate our kids to write.
      How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
      How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

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A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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