Since the late 19th century, the word scrumbunctious has been used to describe someone who is energetic or high-spirited. Scrumbunctious is probably a portmanteau of scrumptious and rambunctious. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Scrumbunctious”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, this is Catherine Hathaway calling from Tallahassee, Florida.
Hi, Catherine in Tallahassee. How are you?
I’m fabulous. And thank you so much for letting me ask my question on your show.
Oh, please. Yes, fire away.
Okay. When my 99 year old mother says she’s not feeling very well, she’ll say, I just don’t feel so scrumptious. I said, mother, where did that word come from? She says, I don’t know. My mother said it. So we’re going back into the way early 1900s that people in my family have said they don’t feel scrumbunctious.
So tell us what that word means to you and then spell it in the best way you know how.
What it means is I’m not feeling well. I’m not feeling terrific. It’s not I feel horrible. I’m going to die. It’s just I’m not feeling so well.
Right. And I would spell it S-C-R-U-M-D-U-N-C-T-I-O-U-S.
Yeah, you won the spelling bee. That’s how it’s spelled.
Martha, are you feeling scrumptious?
Well, I am, and it sounds like Catherine is as well.
I am. Very scrumptious.
Well, you are indeed. Yes, this word has been used since at least the 1890s to mean energetic or high-spirited or rowdy or, you know, just in really, really good shape.
And yes, as Grant said, you use the most common spelling.
I don’t think of it as that common a word.
But we see over time it’s been used to describe like a scrambunctious party or a scrambunctious parade or a person or an athletic performance.
So it’s this wonderful, playful, invented word that probably combines scrumptious, meaning delicious or delightful, and probably rambunctious, meaning lively, rowdy, or spirited, maybe rambustious.
So it’s just a fun word, and I love the way that she used it to mean, you know, she’s not in terrible shape, but she’s definitely not in great shape either.
Okay. Well, thank you.
I will tell mom.
She’ll be real tickled to know.
Oh, I hope she’ll feel scrambunctious.
Me too.
Me too.
We’re having her 99th birthday party and all the family is coming.
That sounds fantastic.
We’ll give her our best.
And thank you so much, Catherine, for calling us.
Have a wonderful day.
Take care.
Thanks, Catherine.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
