chaos
KAY-oss
/ˈkeɪɒs/
Complete disorder and confusion; in mythology, the formless matter or void that existed before the creation of the universe.
In modern use, it means a mess. In mythology, it is a specific state of 'nothingness' or 'potential' from which everything was born.
The story behind the word. From the Greek 'khaos,' meaning 'gaping void' or 'chasm.' It comes from the root 'khaino,' meaning 'to gape open.' Originally, it didn't mean 'disorder' but rather the empty space that existed before anything else.
Word relationships
- void: A void is an empty space; chaos (in mythology) is the formless state of that space.
- turmoil: Turmoil implies active disturbance; chaos can be a static state of disorder.
- order: Order is the arrangement of things according to a particular sequence or method.
- cosmos: Cosmos is the universe seen as a well-ordered whole.
Commonly confused with
- anarchy: Anarchy is specifically a lack of political authority; chaos is a general state of disorder.
Word family
- chaotic (adjective): In a state of complete confusion and disorder.
Collocations
- total chaos
- primeval chaos
- descend into chaos
- organized chaos
Example sentences
- "In the beginning, according to Hesiod, there was only Chaos, a vast and dark abyss." Mythology
- "Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the dream of man." Literature (The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams)
Memory hook
Think of a 'Chasm'—a deep, empty gap. That's what Chaos was originally. The great empty gap.
When not to use
In a mythological context, don't use it to mean 'a loud party'; it refers to the deep, silent void of the beginning.
Fun facts
- The word 'gas' was actually invented by a 17th-century chemist as a phonetic variant of 'chaos' because he saw gases as formless matter.
Explore more words
Disorder, turbulence, haphazard, discombobulated, muddled, oblivion
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