rambunctious
UK: ræmˈbʌŋkʃəs | US: ræmˈbʌŋkʃəs
adj. noisy, energetic, and difficult to control
adj. exuberantly lively or boisterous
The word "rambunctious" emerged in early 19th-century American English, likely as a playful alteration of "rumbustious," itself a variant of "robustious" (meaning boisterous). The prefix "ram-" may evoke the forceful, disorderly behavior of a ram, while "-bunctious" suggests bouncing or energetic movement. The word’s evolution reflects a creative blending of sounds and meanings to capture unrestrained liveliness.
The rambunctious children made the classroom chaotic.
Their rambunctious laughter echoed through the house.
The puppy’s rambunctious behavior exhausted its owner.
A rambunctious crowd celebrated the team’s victory.
She struggled to calm her rambunctious students after recess.