chaotic

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective lacking a visible order or organization
  2. adjective completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing
  3. adjective of or relating to a sensitive dependence on initial conditions

Etymology

From Late Latin chaoticus (“of or pertaining to the primordial state of the universe”), from Latin chaos (“chaos”) + -ticus (suffix forming adjectives from nouns); analysable as chaos + -otic. Doublet of gassy.

In classic literature

Synonyms

helter-skelter

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