twig

¹

[ twig ]

noun

1. a slender shoot of a tree or other plant.
2. a small offshoot from a branch or stem.
3. a small, dry, woody piece fallen from a branch:

   a fire of twigs.

4. Anatomy. one of the minute branches of a blood vessel or nerve.

twig

²

[ twig ]

verb (used with object)

, twigged, twig·ging.

1. to look at; observe:

   Now, twig the man climbing there, will you?

2. to see; perceive:

   Do you twig the difference in colors?

3. to understand.

verb (used without object)

, twigged, twig·ging.

1. to understand.

twig

³

[ twig ]

noun

, British Archaic.

1. style; fashion.

twig

¹

/ twɪɡ /

verb

1. to understand (something)
2. to find out or suddenly comprehend (something)

   he hasn't twigged yet

3. rare.
   tr to perceive (something)

twig

²

/ twɪɡ /

noun

1. any small branch or shoot of a tree or other woody plant
2. something resembling this, esp a minute branch of a blood vessel

Derived Forms

• ˈtwigˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• twigless adjective
• twiglike adjective

Word History and Origins

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”; 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of twig¹

C18: perhaps from Gaelic tuig I understand

Origin of twig²

Old English twigge ; related to Old Norse dvika consisting of two, Old High German zwīg twig, Old Danish tvige fork

Example Sentences

The actor’s physique is one easily mistaken for the kind a ruthless heavy could break like a twig or silence by barking some reminder to know her place.

From Salon

A Pacific Northwest forest planted with Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock and larch underplanted with evergreen huckleberry, salal and ferns transitions to an open woodland of native dogwood trees, red twig dogwood and flowering red currant.

From Seattle Times

We were creeping down a deer trail when we heard the snap of a twig.

From Literature

Something was there, no bigger than a twig off a tree, and gray.

From Literature

By giving these archetypes the shape of animals, like “The Fool” as a duckling teetering on a twig, “The High Priestess” as a regal white tiger or “Justice” as two house cats — as opposed to the human characters of the classic Rider-Waite deck — Krans said she noticed her cards were helping people “get into the archetypes in a more universal, intuitive way.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• limb
• sprig