sprig

[ sprig ]

noun

1. a small spray of some plant with its leaves, flowers, etc.
2. an ornament having the form of such a spray.
3. a shoot, twig, or small branch.
4. Facetious. a scion, offspring, or heir of a family, class, etc.
5. a youth or young fellow.
6. glazier's point.
7. a headless brad.
8. Metallurgy.
   1. a small peg for reinforcing the walls of a mold.
   2. a metal insert, used to chill certain portions of cast metal, that becomes an integral part of the finished casting.

verb (used with object)

, sprigged, sprig·ging.

1. to mark or decorate (fabrics, pottery, etc.) with a design of sprigs.
2. to fasten with brads.
3. Horticulture. to propagate a plant, especially grass, by planting individual stolons.
4. Metallurgy. to reinforce the walls of (a mold) with sprigs.
5. to remove a sprig or sprigs from (a plant).

sprig

/ sprɪɡ /

noun

1. a shoot, twig, or sprout of a tree, shrub, etc; spray
2. an ornamental device resembling a spray of leaves or flowers
3. a small wire nail without a head
4. informal.
   a youth
5. informal.
   a person considered as the descendant of an established family, social class, etc
6. another name for stud 1

verb

1. to fasten or secure with sprigs
2. to ornament (fabric, wallpaper, etc) with a design of sprigs
3. to make sprays from (twigs and branches)

Derived Forms

• ˈspriggy, adjective
• ˈsprigger, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sprig¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sprigge (noun); origin uncertain; sense “peg” perhaps of distinct origin; sprag ¹, spray ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of sprig¹

C15: probably of Germanic origin; compare Low German sprick, Swedish sprygg

Example Sentences

However, Gail's "well, here's a cilantro sprig" when asked to identify the Mexican component of that dish got a chuckle out of me.

From Salon

Four of the plants included in the analysis are already extinct, including the Guadalupe Island olive, which was sequenced using a dried sprig from 1875.

From New York Times

Beatrice wore a sprig of baby’s breath over one ear.

From Literature

He also made paper-thin bowls of this clay, and from time to time he would float one down the river with a note in it, and a flower or sprig of grass sticking out to attract notice.

From Literature

She is holding a sprig from an olive tree.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• sprout
• twig