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Hobbledehoy

[HA-bəl-dee-hoy]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Unknown, mid 16th century

1.

A clumsy or awkward youth.

Examples of Hobbledehoy in a sentence

"I felt like a real hobbledehoy at my first job."

"Now that Jennifer's braces were off, she was ready to leave her days of being a hobbledehoy behind."

About Hobbledehoy

It is unknown exactly how and where the word hobbledehoy came from, although we do know that it was first used in the 16th century. The noun's playful cadence was used to describe an awkward, youthful person.

Did you Know?

Nearly everyone was a hobbledehoy at some point — it's a normal part of adolescence to feel a little awkward. Encouragement, praise, and support goes a long way in helping your loved ones feel more confident in themselves as they grow up.

illustration Hobbledehoy

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