# harum-scarum

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˌhɛəɹəmˈskɛəɹəm/

## Definitions
1. wild, careless, irresponsible

## Etymology
Uncertain. Likely from hare (“harass, harry”) 'em (“them”) and scare 'em (“frighten them”); alternately the first element may be from hare (“rabbit-like animals”), or the second element may be a variant of stare. Attested from the late 17th century.

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