Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A condition of turbulent motion.
  • noun An agitated disturbance; a hubbub.
  • noun Civil disturbance or insurrection; disorder.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A violent movement or agitation: as. the commotion of the sea.
  • noun Hence Tumult of people; political or social disturbance; turbulence; disorder; sedition; insurrection.
  • noun Mental agitation; perturbation; disorder of mind; excitement.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Disturbed or violent motion; agitation.
  • noun A popular tumult; public disturbance; riot.
  • noun Agitation, perturbation, or disorder, of mind; heat; excitement.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A state of turbulent motion.
  • noun An agitated disturbance or a hubbub.
  • noun euphemistic sexual excitement

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a disorderly outburst or tumult
  • noun the act of making a noisy disturbance
  • noun confused movement

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English commocioun, from Old French commotion, from Latin commōtiō, commōtiōn-, from commōtus, past participle of commovēre, to disturb : com-, intensive pref.; see com– + movēre, to move; see meuə- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin commōtiōnem, accusative singular of commōtiō, from commōtus, perfect passive participle of commoveō.

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