shenanigan
shenanigan Lexical Profile
shenanigan Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A playful, high-spirited, or mischievous act; a prank or piece of nonsense (usually used in the plural).
"The teacher warned the students that she would not tolerate any shenanigans during the museum field trip."
Secret, devious, or dishonest activity; an underhanded trick or maneuver (usually used in the plural).
"Independent auditors uncovered financial shenanigans that had inflated the company's reported earnings for years."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although 'shenanigan' exists in the singular to refer to a single trick or prank, the word is overwhelmingly used in the plural form ('shenanigans') in contemporary English.
• Rhymes for shenanigan
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First attested in California during the mid-19th-century Gold Rush era; its exact origin is uncertain, though linguists have proposed roots in the Irish phrase 'sionnachuighim' ('I play the fox' or 'I play tricks') or Spanish 'chanada' (a shortened form of 'charranada', meaning 'trick' or 'deceit').