Confusion about "confused"

	Site Map \| FAQ in Daily Almanac for Dec 9, 2009 Search White Pages
Skip Navigation Home Winter Holidays Atlas Encyclopedia Dictionary Thesaurus Features Quizzes Timelines Countries Slideshows

Ask the Editors Archive

The Question:

Please help me find a word spelled similar to adelpated that means absent-minded, scatter-brained, or forgetful. I've heard the word used but never seen it in print.

The Answer:

The word you're looking for is "addlepated." It's derived from "addled," which means "confused or muddled," and "pate," which means "head."

—The Editors

Infoplease Tools