twig
1 Americannoun
-
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.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
to understand (something)
-
to find out or suddenly comprehend (something)
he hasn't twigged yet
-
rare (tr) to perceive (something)
noun
-
any small branch or shoot of a tree or other woody plant
-
something resembling this, esp a minute branch of a blood vessel
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
twigsimple
-
twigssimple
-
have twiggedperfect
-
has twiggedperfect
-
am twiggingprogressive
-
are twiggingprogressive
-
is twiggingprogressive
-
have been twiggingperfect progressive
-
has been twiggingperfect progressive
Past
-
twiggedsimple
-
had twiggedperfect
-
was twiggingprogressive
-
were twiggingprogressive
-
had been twiggingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of twig1
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- ( def. )
Origin of twig2
First recorded in 1760–70; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Irish tuigim “I understand”
Origin of twig3
First recorded in 1805–15; origin uncertain
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jessica Burdick, co-owner of the boutique Twig, said she would only receive trial updates from customers.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 3, 2023
When a speech to that effect was cut during the play’s development, Twig Hu, the show’s 18-year-old assistant director, who is also on the spectrum, asked that it be restored.
From New York Times • Sep. 15, 2022
Vernard Lundin described clamming on the Minnesota in his book “As the Twig is Bent: Growing Up in the Minnesota River Valley.”
From Washington Times • Mar. 21, 2015
Walter Dean Myers, a celebrated author known for writing books about young African Americans, such as "Monster," "Fallen Angels" and "Darius & Twig," has died.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2014
“I’m the head sheriff, and Dari is the mission analyst,” Twig continued matter-of-factly, and I wished she would stop.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
