squiggle

American  

[skwig-uhl] / ˈskwɪg əl /

noun

1. a short, irregular curve or twist, as in writing or drawing.

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verb (used without object)

squiggled, squiggling

1. to move in or appear as squiggles.

   His handwriting squiggled across the page.

verb (used with object)

squiggled, squiggling

1. to form in or cause to appear as squiggles; scribble.

squiggle British  

/ ˈskwɪɡəl /

noun

1. a mark or movement in the form of a wavy line; curlicue

2. an illegible scrawl

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verb

1. (intr) to wriggle

2. (intr) to form or draw squiggles

3. (tr) to make into squiggles

Other Word Forms

• squiggler
  noun
• squiggly
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of squiggle

First recorded in 1830–40; blend of squirm and wriggle

Explanation

A squiggle is a curly, looping line, like the squiggle that serves as your signature when you sloppily sign your name. If you can't read someone's writing, you can call it a squiggle or a scrawl. You can also use squiggle to describe decorative accents or drawn designs, like squiggles of paint in modern art or ornamental squiggles in the pattern on your sofa. Squiggle originated in the early 19th century and was initially used a verb derived from wriggle and squirm.

Example Sentences

Felix Xu started his NFT art collection by purchasing a Chromie Squiggle, generated by an algorithm.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2022

She'd be required to supply names and addresses for everyone involved, hire bouncers and airport security to search Patrick, Lucas and Squiggle for blades.

From The Guardian • Mar. 20, 2010

Squiggle, loop, scratch went the fountain pen of a swart little Dictator-King Ahmed Zogu, last week, signing out the old Islamic law of Albania, signing in a new civil code based on the Swiss.*

From Time Magazine Archive