# bustle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbʌsəl/ · frequency rank #29,577

## Definitions
1. An excited activity; a stir.
2. A cover to protect and hide the back panel of a computer or other office machine.
3. A frame worn underneath a woman's skirt, typically only protruding from the rear as opposed to the earlier more circular hoops.
4. Money; cash.

## Etymology
From Middle English bustlen, bustelen, bostlen, perhaps an alteration of *busklen (> Modern English buskle), a frequentative of Middle English busken (“to prepare; make ready”), from Old Norse búask (“to prepare oneself”); or alternatively from a frequentative form of Middle English busten, bisten (“to buffet; pummel; dash; beat”) + -le. Compare also Icelandic bustla (“to splash; bustle”).

## Easily confused with
- **bute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bustle-vs-bute)
- **busts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bustle-vs-busts)
- **butte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bustle-vs-butte)
- **busty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bustle-vs-busty)
- **butler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bustle-vs-butler)
- **bust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bust-vs-bustle)
- **bugle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bugle-vs-bustle)
- **busta** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/busta-vs-bustle)
- **battle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-bustle)
- **bottle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-bustle)
- **bubble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bubble-vs-bustle)
- **bundle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bundle-vs-bustle)
- **busted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/busted-vs-bustle)
- **beetle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beetle-vs-bustle)
- **buckle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buckle-vs-bustle)
- **buster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buster-vs-bustle)
- **bumble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bumble-vs-bustle)
- **Beatle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beatle-vs-bustle)
- **busily** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/busily-vs-bustle)
- **bestie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bestie-vs-bustle)

## Common misspellings (9)
`bbustle`, `bsutle`, `buslte`, `busstle`, `bustel`, `bustlle`, `busttle`, `butsle`, `ubstle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bustle