SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

spartle

intransitive verb
Save Word
spar·​tle | \ ˈspärtᵊl \
-ed/-ing/-s

Definition of spartle

Scottish
: to kick about : sprawl

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for spartle

Dutch spartelen, from Middle Dutch spartelen, spertelen, sportelen; akin to Middle Low German spartelen, sportelen, spertelen to sprawl, thrash about, Old High German sprazzalōn, Norwegian spratla to sprawl, thrash about, Old High German sprinzan to jump up

Learn More About spartle

Dictionary Entries Near spartle

spartina

spartle

spar torpedo

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for spartle

Cite this Entry

“Spartle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spartle. Accessed 4 Jul. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

Yankee

Listen to the pronunciation of Yankee

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Which Word Does Not Belong?

  • one green toy robot amidst many red toy robots
  • Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games