Mmmmh, I think rhyming reduplicatives are my new favourite category of British words. Look at them - so yummy!
airy-fairy – unrealistic; light and delicate argy-bargy – verbal dispute artsy-fartsy – pretentiously artistic (also arty-farty) boo hoo – crying sound boogie-woogie – piano jazz style bow-wow – the sound of a dog easy-peasy – very easy fuddy-duddy – conservative or dull person hanky-panky – suspicious behaviour heebie-jeebies – nervousness helter-skelter – haphazard higgledy-piggledy – muddled hocus-pocus – trickery; a magician’s incantation hodge-podge – a confused mixture hoity-toity – haughty itsy-bitsy – tiny jeepers creepers – exclamation of surprise mumbo-jumbo – derogatory reference to a religious or spiritual ritual namby-pamby – feeble, weak nitty gritty – the facts okey-dokey – OK super-duper – very pleasing willy-nilly – whether it’s wanted or not
[list compiled by Sharon at dailywritingtips]
