Well attestedNamed through a historical place-name
bedlam
noun · first attested 16th century
Chaos is a worn-down pronunciation of Bethlehem.
A scene of noisy confusion; historically a psychiatric hospital.
Bethlem Hospital·United Kingdom
51.3808°N -0.0294°W · Q831377
Record
- Relationship
- Named through a historical place-name
- Confidence
- Well attestedThe place link is the standard scholarly account.
- Attested
- 16th century
- Part of speech
- noun
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
Bethlehem Hospital
- Step 2
Bethlem
- In English
bedlam
Bedlam is a folk form of Bethlem, the London hospital of St Mary of Bethlehem. The hospital’s reputation for disorder turned the place-name into a word for uproar.
United Kingdom
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