Humdrum
/ˈhʌm.drʌm/noun
Dull, monotonous, or lacking excitement.
Did you know?Humdrum is a reduplicative word built from imitation, not a hidden demon or ancient spell, showing how English can create meaning from pure sound.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
humdrum
“A monotonous buzzing or droning sound; later, something dull and repetitive”
Middle English
English
hum
“To make a low continuous sound”
Middle English
English
drum
“To beat or sound with a steady noise”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*drem-
“To droningly sound or hum”