wriggler

US: (rig′lər)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

wrig•gler  (rig′lər), n. 

1. a person or thing that wriggles.
2. Insects Also called wiggler, wiggle-tail. the larva of a mosquito.

• wriggle + -er¹ 1625–35

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

wrig•gle /ˈrɪgəl/   v., -gled, -gling, n. 
v. 

1. to twist from one side to the other;
   squirm;
   writhe: [no object]
   The child was wriggling in his seat.
   [~ + object]
   to wriggle one's toes.
2. to move along by twisting and turning the body, as a worm: [no object]
   The worm wriggled in the dirt.
   [~ + object]
   He wriggled his way through the narrow tunnel.
3. wriggle out of, [~ + out of + object] to escape from or avoid:
   He tried to wriggle out of doing the work.

n. [countable]

4. the act or motion of wriggling:
   a little wriggle of the hips.

wrig•gler, n. [countable]
wrig•gly, adj.,  -gli•er, -gli•est :

a wriggly little worm.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

wrig•gle  (rig′əl), v., -gled, -gling, n. 
v.i. 

1. to twist to and fro;
   writhe;
   squirm.
2. to move along by twisting and turning the body, as a worm or snake.
3. to make one's way by shifts or expedients (often fol. by out):
   to wriggle out of a difficulty.

v.t. 

4. to cause to wriggle:
   to wriggle one's hips.
5. to bring, get, make, etc., by wriggling:
   to wriggle one's way through a narrow opening.

n. 

6. act of wriggling;
   a wriggling movement.

• Middle Low German wriggelen (cognate with Dutch wriggelen), frequentative of *wriggen to twist, turn, akin to Old English wrīgian to twist; see wry
• 1485–95

wrig′gling•ly, adv.