Flabbergasted is spelled with two "b" letters and one "g" letter in the middle, despite the pronunciation of the word seeming like it has only one "b" and two "g"s. The correct phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈflæbəɡæstɪd/. The origin of the word is unknown, but it first appeared in the early 19th century in the United States. The definition of the word means to be extremely surprised or astonished, usually to the point of being speechless or out of breath.
Flabbergasted is an adjective derived from the combination of the words "flabby" and "aghast." It refers to a state of extreme surprise, shock, or astonishment that leaves a person speechless or momentarily unable to react. The term flabbergasted describes a feeling of being greatly taken aback or dumbfounded by something unexpected, often beyond comprehension or belief.
When someone is flabbergasted, they are left in a state of disbelief, unable to process or fully comprehend what has just happened or been said. This intense reaction can be triggered by a wide range of circumstances, such as receiving surprising news, witnessing an extraordinary event, or encountering an unusual and unexpected situation.
Flabbergasted often implies a sense of being overwhelmed by the surprise or shock, as if the individual's emotions or beliefs have been temporarily destabilized. It conveys a feeling of being caught off guard, rendering the person temporarily incapable of coherent thought or speech.
The term flabbergasted can also connote an element of being physically or mentally stunned. It can evoke an image of someone momentarily frozen or incapacitated due to the magnitude of the surprise or shock they have experienced.
Overall, flabbergasted describes a state of extreme astonishment and bewilderment, leaving the individual momentarily lost for words or reaction.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "flabbergasted" is believed to have originated in the United States in the mid-19th century. The exact etymology of the term is uncertain, but it is thought to be a combination of two words: "flabby" and "aghast".
"Flabby" refers to something that is soft, loose, or lacking firmness, while "aghast" is an adjective used to describe a feeling of shock, surprise, or horror.
The combination of these two words, "flabby" and "aghast", gave rise to "flabbergasted", which conveys a sense of being overwhelmed or astonished to the point of speechlessness. Over time, the term gained popularity and found its way into common usage in English.