Episode Overview

Podcast: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Episode Title: flummox
Date: September 12, 2025
Host: Peter Sokolowski

This episode centers on exploring the word "flummox"—its definition, origins, appearance in literature, and usage in modern English. Peter Sokolowski explains why "flummox" is a particularly intriguing word for language lovers and curious minds.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Definition & Pronunciation

• Timestamp: [00:42]
• Insight:
  • The word of the day is "flummox," spelled F-L-U-M-M-O-X.
  • Definition: "Flummox" is a verb meaning to confuse or perplex someone.

2. Usage Example

• Timestamp: [00:49]
• Insight:
  • A sentence from The New York Times is used:
    • "If Thursday Crosswords flummox you, remember that it's much better for your stress level to do your best and sharpen your skills. Become angry because you aren't sure what's going on."

3. Etymology and Uncertainty

• Timestamp: [01:05]
• Insight:
  • The origins of "flummox" are obscure; even etymologists are "flummoxed" by its history.
  • The earliest recorded use is in Charles Dickens's The Pickwick Papers in the mid-1830s.

4. Early Usage and Spread

• Timestamp: [01:24]
• Insight:
  • The adjective "flummoxed" appeared a few years after Dickens, notably in a Dublin newspaper referencing laborers striking against employers.
  • Even then, the term was associated with the feeling of being utterly confused or unable to understand what was happening.
  • Example: "Lord Cloncurry is actually flummoxed. The people refuse to work for him."

5. Contemporary Meaning and Prevalence

• Timestamp: [01:39]
• Insight:
  • "To be flummoxed by something is to be utterly confused—baffled, puzzled, bewildered, completely unable to understand."
  • Despite questions about origin, the word found popularity:
    • "Fortunately, a word can be used even if everyone is flummoxed by its etymology."
  • By the end of the 19th century, it was widely adopted in both British and American English.

Notable Quotes

• On Etymology:

  • "When it comes to the origins of the word 'flummox,' etymologists are, well, flummoxed. No one really knows where the word comes from."
    — Peter Sokolowski ([01:05])

• On Language Evolution:

  • "Fortunately, a word can be used even if everyone is flummoxed by its etymology. And by the end of the 19th century, flummox had become quite common in both British and American English."
    — Peter Sokolowski ([01:39])

Memorable Moments

• The playful use of "flummoxed" when describing etymologists' confusion about the word's own origin ([01:05]).
• Literary and historical context courtesy of Dickens and 19th-century Irish labor disputes ([01:24]).

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:42] — Introduction of word, spelling, and definition
• [00:49] — Usage example from The New York Times
• [01:05] — Discussion on the mysterious origin
• [01:24] — Historical print uses (Dickens and the Dublin labor story)
• [01:39] — Explanation of continued usage despite etymological mystery

Tone

Peter Sokolowski’s tone is approachable, witty, and informative, making the exploration of "flummox" both educational and engaging for listeners wanting to boost their vocabulary and word sense.