hodgepodge

noun

hodge·​podge ˈhäj-ˌpäj How to pronounce hodgepodge (audio)
Synonyms of hodgepodge
: a heterogeneous mixture : jumble
a hodgepodge of styles

Synonyms of hodgepodge

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Examples of hodgepodge in a Sentence

the exhibit was a hodgepodge of mediocre art, bad art, and really bad art
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
King’s eyes gather the world’s hodgepodge, and her hand records with a sensitivity that can come only from fondness. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a hodgepodge of financial advice and confusing diagrams held together by anecdotes from Kiyosaki’s childhood. — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026 The result was a hodgepodge of warnings and alerts from city officials and landlords that many residents found confusing. — Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2026 Whether a home is carefully curated or a hodgepodge of beloved hand-me-downs, plants add instant energy and natural beauty to any room. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hodgepodge

Word History

Etymology

alteration of hotchpotch

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hodgepodge was in the 15th century

Rhymes for hodgepodge

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Browse Nearby Words

hodge
hodgepodge
Hodgkin
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Cite this Entry

“Hodgepodge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hodgepodge. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hodgepodge

noun
hodge·​podge ˈhäj-ˌpäj How to pronounce hodgepodge (audio)
: a confused mixture : jumble
Etymology

an altered form of hotchpotch, from Middle English hochepot "mixed stew," derived from early French hochepot (same meaning), from hochier "to shake" and pot "pot, container"

Word Origin
Hodgepodge and its older form hotchpotch are part of a group of words that rhyme all by themselves. Hobnob and willy-nilly are others. In the case of hodgepodge and hotchpotch, the rhyme is not an accident. These words came to English from early French in the form hochepot. The spelling was changed to make the second half of the word rhyme with the first. In French hochepot was a stew of many foods cooked together in a pot. Perhaps the pot was shaken instead of stirred since hochepot was formed from hochier, meaning "to shake," and pot, which had the same meaning in early French as it does in English now. Before long hotchpotch and hodgepodge were used not just for a mixture of foods cooking in a pot but for any mixture of different things.

Legal Definition

Hodge Podge

noun
ˈhäj-ˌpäj
: main pot
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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