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twig
1[ twig ]
/ twɪg /
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noun
a slender shoot of a tree or other plant.
a small offshoot from a branch or stem.
a small, dry, woody piece fallen from a branch: a fire of twigs.
Anatomy. one of the minute branches of a blood vessel or nerve.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of twig
1First 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, adjectivetwiglike, adjectiveWords nearby twig
Other definitions for twig (2 of 3)
twig2
[ twig ]
/ twɪg /
verb (used with object), twigged, twig·ging.
verb (used without object), twigged, twig·ging.
to understand.
Origin of twig
2First recorded in 1760–70; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Irish tuigim “I understand”
Other definitions for twig (3 of 3)
twig3
[ twig ]
/ twɪg /
noun British Archaic.
style; fashion.
Origin of twig
3First recorded in 1805–15; origin uncertain
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use twig in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for twig (1 of 2)
twig1
/ (twɪɡ) /
noun
any small branch or shoot of a tree or other woody plant
something resembling this, esp a minute branch of a blood vessel
Derived forms of twig
twiglike, adjectiveWord Origin for twig
Old English twigge; related to Old Norse dvika consisting of two, Old High German zwīg twig, Old Danish tvige fork
British Dictionary definitions for twig (2 of 2)
twig2
/ (twɪɡ) /
verb twigs, twigging or twigged British informal
to understand (something)
to find out or suddenly comprehend (something)he hasn't twigged yet
(tr) rare to perceive (something)
Word Origin for twig
C18: perhaps from Gaelic tuig I understand
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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