Twitch
/twɪtʃ/noun
To make a sudden, jerky movement or to have a brief involuntary spasm.
Did you know?The word is ultimately tied to a Germanic root meaning to twist or turn, and its earliest senses in English were about quick, jerking motion rather than modern internet slang.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dweigʰ- / *dwegʰ-
“to twist, bend, or turn”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*twik- / *twikjaną
“to twitch, jerk, or move sharply”
Old English
English
twiccian
“to pluck, pinch, or twitch”
Middle English
English
twitchen
“to twitch, jerk, or move with a quick, sudden motion”
Modern English
English
twitch
“to make a sudden, involuntary movement or spasm”