Other forms: havocs
Havoc is widespread destruction and confusion. Wreak havoc, play havoc with, cause havoc.
It appears almost only in wreak havoc and play havoc with, and wreak is a verb that survives for this phrase alone. Cry havoc was a real military order, the signal that soldiers might break ranks and plunder, which is where the word comes from.
1nounhavocWidespread destruction and confusion.
“The storm caused havoc on the roads, with fallen trees blocking every route.”
havoc is a destruction.
Old French havot, plunder, in the phrase crier havot, the order releasing soldiers to seize plunder.
Old French
havok
Middle English
havok
English, today
havoc
Built from
From Middle English havok, havyk, from Old French havok in the phrase crier havok (“cry havoc”) a signal to soldiers to seize plunder, from Old French crier (“cry out, shout”) + havot (“pillaging, looting”), of unknown origin. Probably from a derivative of Old French haf, hef (“hook”), from Frankish haf, habbjā, happjā (“pruning-hook, scythe”), derived from Proto-Germanic habjaną (“to take up, lift”), related to Old French havee (“handful”), Old French havet (“pruning-hook”), Old High German habba, heppa (“pruning-hook, scythe”), modern German Hippe (“billhook”). If so, then also related to English heave and a doublet of hatchet.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA