brouhaha

UK: /ˈbruːhɑːhɑː/

US: /ˈbruhɑˌhɑ, ˌbruhɑˈhɑ, bruˈhɑhɑ/

US: (bro̅o̅′hä hä′, bro̅o̅′hä hä′, bro̅o̅ hä′hä)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

brou•ha•ha /ˈbruhɑˌhɑ, ˌbruhɑˈhɑ, bruˈhɑhɑ/   n. [countable] , pl. -has. 

1. a small, unimportant event involving too much uproar:
   The department had a little brouhaha last week when the copying machine broke.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

brou•ha•ha  (bro̅o̅′hä hä′, bro̅o̅′hä hä′, bro̅o̅ hä′hä), n. 

1. excited public interest, discussion, or the like, as the clamor attending some sensational event;
   hullabaloo:
   The brouhaha followed disclosures of graft at City Hall.
2. an episode involving excitement, confusion, turmoil, etc., esp. a broil over a minor or ridiculous cause:
   A brouhaha by the baseball players resulted in three black eyes.

• Hebrew, distortion of the recited phrase bārūkh habbā (beshēm ădhōnai) "blessed is he who comes (in the name of the Lord)'' (Ps. 118:26)
• French, origin, originally brou, ha, ha! exclamation used by characters representing the devil in the 16th-cent. drama; perh.
• 1885–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

brouhaha / ˈbruːhɑːhɑː/ noun

1. a loud confused noise; commotion; uproar

Etymology: French, of imitative origin