Straggle
/ˈstræɡ.əl/noun
To move or spread out in a scattered, irregular way; to lag behind or wander off from a group.
Did you know?Straggle is tied to a Germanic root meaning “to stretch out” or “trail,” which is why it can describe both a person lagging behind and vines spreading in a wild, untamed way.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*strengʰ-
“to draw tight, pull taut”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*strangiz / *strangaz
“taut, tight, rigid”
Old English
English
stræccan
“to stretch, extend”
Middle English
English
straglen
“to wander about, trail behind, move in a scattered way”
Modern English
English
straggle
“to move or spread out in a scattered, irregular way”