topsy-turvy
[ top-see-tur-vee ]
/ ˈtɒp siˈtɜr vi /
adverb
adjective
turned upside down; inverted; reversed: a topsy-turvy reflection.
confused or disorderly: a topsy-turvy classroom.
noun, plural top·sy-tur·vies.
inversion of the natural order.
a state of confusion or disorder.
Origin of topsy-turvy
1520–30; perhaps variant of
top syd turvye topside down (with loss of
d before
t);
turvy, variant of
tervy, equivalent to obsolete
terve to turn over (cognate with Old High German
zerben) +
-y1
OTHER WORDS FROM topsy-turvy
top·sy-tur·vi·ly, adverb top·sy·tur·vi·ness, nounWords nearby topsy-turvy
Example sentences from the Web for topsy-turvy
British Dictionary definitions for topsy-turvy
topsy-turvy
/ (ˈtɒpsɪˈtɜːvɪ) /
adjective
upside down
in a state of confusion
adverb
in a topsy-turvy manner
noun
a topsy-turvy state
Word Origin for topsy-turvy
C16: probably from
tops, plural of
top
1 + obsolete
tervy to turn upside down; perhaps related to Old English
tearflian to roll over