garbled
UK: ˈɡɑːbld | US: ˈɡɑːrbld
adj. (of information, messages, etc.) confused, distorted, or unclear due to errors in transmission or interpretation.
vt. (past tense) to mix up or distort information unintentionally.
The word "garbled" originates from the Italian garbellare (to sift, especially to remove impurities), derived from Arabic gharbala (to select or sieve). Initially, it referred to the selective sorting of spices or goods, often implying unfair exclusion. By the 16th century, it evolved to mean distorting language or facts by omitting key parts, leading to its modern sense of jumbled or unclear communication. The suffix "-ed" marks it as a verb-turned-adjective.
The radio transmission was garbled by static.
His garbled explanation left everyone more confused.
The document contained garbled text due to a printing error.
She garbled the recipe by skipping crucial steps.
Historical accounts often become garbled over time.