Advertisement

embarrassment (n.)

1670s, "state of being impeded, obstructed, or entangled" (of affairs, etc.), from embarrass + -ment, or from French embarrassement, from embarrasser.

As "a mental state of unease," from 1774. Meaning "thing which embarrasses" is from 1729. Earlier words expressing much the same idea include baishment "embarrassment, confusion" (late 14c.); baishednesse (mid-15c.).

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of embarrassment from WordNet

embarrassment (n.)
the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public;
embarrassment (n.)
the state of being embarrassed (usually by some financial inadequacy);
he is currently suffering financial embarrassments
embarrassment (n.)
some event that causes someone to be embarrassed;
the outcome of the vote was an embarrassment for the liberals
embarrassment (n.)
extreme excess;
an embarrassment of riches
Synonyms: overplus / plethora / superfluity
From wordnet.princeton.edu