wiggle

From Middle English wiglen, probably from Middle Dutch wigelen (“to wiggle”) and perhaps Middle Low German wigelen, frequentative of wiegen (“to rock”), from wiege (“cradle”).[1] See wain, and Dutch wieg (“cradle”).

Cognate to Dutch wiggelen (“to wiggle”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪɡəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪɡəl
• Hyphenation: wig‧gle

wiggle (third-person singular simple present wiggles, present participle wiggling, simple past and past participle wiggled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To move with irregular, back and forward or side to side motions; To shake or jiggle.

   Her hips wiggle as she walks.

   The jelly wiggles on the plate when you move it.

   • 1992, “Jump”, performed by Kris Kross:

     I'll make ya bump, hump, wiggle and shake your rump

   • 2012, Stephen King, 11/22/63, page 788:

     "These modern dances!" he grunted, grabbing his smokes. "They don't do nothing but teach the kids how to bump n wiggle."

wiggle (plural wiggles)

1. A rapid movement in alternating opposite directions, not necessarily regular.

   She walked with a sexy wiggle.

2. (figurative) An alternating state or characteristic. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (in the plural) See wiggles.