quagmire
|quag-mire|
B2
🇺🇸
/ˈkwæɡˌmaɪər/
🇬🇧
/ˈkwæɡˌmaɪə/
boggy ground; difficult situation
Etymology
Etymology Information
'quagmire' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'quag,' where 'quag' meant 'bog' or 'marsh.'
Historical Evolution
'quag' combined with 'mire' (meaning 'bog' or 'swamp') to form the modern English word 'quagmire.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'a bog or marsh,' but over time it evolved to also mean 'a difficult situation.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a soft, wet area of land that gives way underfoot; a bog or marsh.
The hikers found themselves stuck in a quagmire.
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Noun 2
a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position; a predicament.
The company found itself in a financial quagmire.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2025/04/17 13:35