twig

1
[ twig ]
See synonyms for twig on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a slender shoot of a tree or other plant.

  2. a small offshoot from a branch or stem.

  1. a small, dry, woody piece fallen from a branch: a fire of twigs.

  2. Anatomy. one of the minute branches of a blood vessel or nerve.

Origin of twig

1
First recorded before 950; Middle English twig, twig(g)e; Old English twig, twigge, twī originally “(something) divided in two”; akin to Old High German zwīg (German Zweig ), Dutch twijg; compare Sanskrit dvikás “double”; see origin at twi-

Other words from twig

  • twigless, adjective
  • twiglike, adjective

Other definitions for twig (2 of 3)

twig2
[ twig ]

verb (used with object),twigged, twig·ging.
  1. to look at; observe: Now, twig the man climbing there, will you?

  2. to see; perceive: Do you twig the difference in colors?

  1. to understand.

verb (used without object),twigged, twig·ging.
  1. to understand.

Origin of twig

2
First recorded in 1760–70; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Irish tuigim “I understand”

Other definitions for twig (3 of 3)

twig3
[ twig ]

nounBritish Archaic.
  1. style; fashion.

Origin of twig

3
First recorded in 1805–15; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use twig in a sentence

  • We gave him luscious twigs if he behaved well and sometimes delicious fruit.

    Kari the Elephant | Dhan Gopal Mukerji
  • Kari did not eat much but he nevertheless needed forty pounds of twigs a day to chew and play with.

    Kari the Elephant | Dhan Gopal Mukerji

British Dictionary definitions for twig (1 of 2)

twig1

/ (twɪɡ) /


noun
  1. any small branch or shoot of a tree or other woody plant

  2. something resembling this, esp a minute branch of a blood vessel

Origin of twig

1
Old English twigge; related to Old Norse dvika consisting of two, Old High German zwīg twig, Old Danish tvige fork

Derived forms of twig

  • twiglike, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for twig (2 of 2)

twig2

/ (twɪɡ) /


verbtwigs, twigging or twigged British informal
  1. to understand (something)

  2. to find out or suddenly comprehend (something): he hasn't twigged yet

  1. (tr) rare to perceive (something)

Origin of twig

2
C18: perhaps from Gaelic tuig I understand

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012