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whiffler

1
[ hwif-ler, wif- ]
/ ˈʰwɪf lər, ˈwɪf- /

noun

a person who frequently shifts opinions, attitudes, interests, etc.
a person who is vacillating or evasive in an argument.

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Origin of whiffler

1
First recorded in 1600–10; whiffle + -er1

Words nearby whiffler

whidah, Whidbey Island, whiff, whiffet, whiffle, whiffler, whiffletree, whiffy, whig, Whiggish, Whiggism

Definition for whiffler (2 of 2)

whiffler2
[ hwif-ler, wif- ]
/ ˈʰwɪf lər, ˈwɪf- /

noun History/Historical.

an attendant who clears the way for a procession.

Origin of whiffler

2
First recorded in 1530–40; earlier wiffler “armed attendant,” equivalent to wiffle (variant of Middle English wifle, Old English wifel “battle-ax”) + -er1. The spelling with wh probably arose by asociation with whiff1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for whiffler

British Dictionary definitions for whiffler (1 of 2)

whiffler1
/ (ˈwɪflə) /

noun

a person who whiffles

British Dictionary definitions for whiffler (2 of 2)

whiffler2
/ (ˈwɪflə) /

noun

archaic an attendant who cleared the way for a procession

Word Origin for whiffler

C16: from wifle battle-axe, from Old English wifel, of Germanic origin; the attendants originally carried weapons to clear the way
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