wrinkle

¹

[ring-kuhl]

noun

1. a small furrow or crease in the skin, especially of the face, as from aging or frowning.

2. a temporary slight ridge or furrow on a surface, due to contraction, folding, crushing, or the like.

verb (used with object)

wrinkled, wrinkling 

1. to form wrinkles in; corrugate; crease.

   Don't wrinkle your dress.

verb (used without object)

wrinkled, wrinkling 

1. to become wrinkled.

wrinkle

²

[ring-kuhl]

noun

Informal.

1. an ingenious trick or device; a clever innovation.

   a new advertising wrinkle.

wrinkle

¹

/ ˈrɪŋkəl /

noun

1. a slight ridge in the smoothness of a surface, such as a crease in the skin as a result of age

verb

1. to make or become wrinkled, as by crumpling, creasing, or puckering

wrinkle

²

/ ˈrɪŋkəl /

noun

1. informal,  a clever or useful trick, hint, or dodge

Other Word Forms

• wrinkly adjective
• wrinkleless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrinkle¹

1375–1425; late Middle English (noun), back formation from wrinkled, Old English gewrinclod, past participle of gewrinclian to wind round; perhaps akin to wrick, wrench

Origin of wrinkle²

1375–1425; late Middle English, equivalent to wrinc trick ( Old English wrenc; wrench ) + -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrinkle¹

C15: back formation from wrinkled, from Old English gewrinclod, past participle of wrinclian to wind around; related to Swedish vrinka to sprain, Lithuanian reñgti to twist. See _wrench

Origin of wrinkle²

Old English wrenc trick; related to Middle Low German wrank struggle, Middle High German ranc sudden turn. See _wrench

Example Sentences

While industry-funded studies suggested collagen supplements significantly improved skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkles, those that did not receive funding from pharmaceutical companies revealed no effect on skin.

From BBC

“I looked in the mirror at 58, and I started noticing that these wrinkles are really starting to show up,” she recalls.

From Los Angeles Times

He recounts being turned away from entering Costa Rica because his passport was too wrinkled — and of being taken to an interrogation room for not knowing he needed a travel visa to enter the U.K.

From Los Angeles Times

As ever, there is always scope for unforeseen wrinkles or unrelated stuff that pushes things back a bit.

From BBC

Botox users in their 20s and early 30s hope to prevent lines forming in the first place, or to target a crease before it becomes a wrinkle.

From BBC

Related Words

• crease 
• crumple 
• pucker 
• rumple 
• screw up 
• scrunch