martinbismuth
1 Answer
daren1
The word humdrum is an example of grammatical reduplication or repetitive rhyming, much like other informal words such as itsy-bitsy, okey-dokey, hoity-toity and namby-pamby. Humdrum actually means a boring, dull or monotonous state of being, with little hope of spontaneity or excitement. Living in a small rural city with very few sources of outside entertainment could easily be described as a humdrum existence. A routine factory job or a monotonous clerical position would also be considered humdrum. The expression is very similar to the informal word ho-hum, which also describes a boring or dull set of circumstances.
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