English Explanatory Dictionary

wriggle

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To twist one's body to and fro with short, writhing motions; to squirm.
  2. To cause something to wriggle.
  3. To use crooked or devious means.
noun
  1. A wriggling movement.

Pronunciation

/ˈɹɪɡəl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wriggle.wav

Word forms

wriggle wriggles wriggling wriggled

Etymology

From wrig + -le (frequentative suffix). Compare Dutch wriggelen (“to wriggle, squirm”), Low German wriggeln (“to wriggle”). Related to Old English wrigian (“to turn, wend, hie, go move”), from Proto-Germanic *wrigōną (“to wriggle”).

Synonyms

wiggle

Derived words

wriggle out of wriggler wriggly get a wriggle on wriggle room
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