* Old French: It originates from the Old French word "houbou" which meant "a shout, a cry, a clamor."
* Medieval English: This word entered English in the 14th century as "hubbe," often used in the phrase "make a hubbe."
* Modern English: Over time, the spelling changed to "hubbub" and the meaning evolved to describe a general noisy commotion or a confused uproar.
So, the next time you hear a "hubbub" around you, you can remember that it's a word with roots in the shouts and cries of the medieval period!