Fracas

/frəˈkɑː/ noun

Definition

A noisy, disorderly fight or quarrel between multiple people, often in a public place.

Etymology

From French 'fracas', derived from Italian 'fracasso' (broken pieces, noise), from the verb 'fracassare' (to break). First used in English in the 17th century.

Kelly Says

The word literally comes from the sound and fury of breaking things during a fight—'fracasso' in Italian is the very onomatopoeia of destruction, making the word itself sound like what it describes.

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