kittle

1 of 2

verb

kit·tle ˈki-tᵊl

kittled; kittling

ˈkit-liŋ,

ˈki-tᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

1

chiefly Scotland : tickle

2

chiefly Scotland : perplex

kittle

2 of 2

adjective

chiefly Scotland

: ticklish, touchy

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English (northern dialect) kytyllen

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1568, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of kittle was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Kittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kittle. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cornucopia

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Popular in Wordplay

kittle

verb

adjective

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

7 Words We Get from Robert Burns

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Can you solve 4 words at once?