Wriggle
/ˈrɪɡ.əl/noun
To twist or turn with short, quick movements.
Did you know?Wriggle is a later expressive formation related to older Germanic words for twisting and turning, showing how English often creates vivid motion-words by shaping sound to mimic movement.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
wrīgan
“to twist, turn, or bend”
Middle English
ME
wriglen
“to move with twisting motions; to squirm”
16th Century
English
wriggle
“to move by twisting or contorting the body”
Modern English
English
wriggle
“to move with short, twisting motions”