twig

1 of 3

noun (1)

Synonyms of twignext
1
: a small shoot or branch usually without its leaves
2
: a minute branch of a nerve or artery
twigged adjective
twiggy adjective

twig

2 of 3

verb

twigged; twigging

transitive verb

1
2
: to understand the meaning of : comprehend

intransitive verb

: to gain a grasp : understand
twigged instinctively about things …H. E. Bates

twig

3 of 3

noun (2)

British

Examples of twig in a Sentence

Verb He seemed confused until he twigged that something was going on. I had to explain it to him three times but he finally twigged.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The movie is beautifully crafted, from Andrew Droz Palermo’s lushly surreal cinematography, to the songs by FKA twigs, Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX, supported by a score by Daniel Hart. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 18 Apr. 2026 Amor & Droga [SOL] Even though she’s gone head-to-head on a track with Madonna and shaved her head onstage at FKA twigs’ Body High tour, Tokischa continues to find new ways to establish herself as one of neoperreo’s ballsiest torchbearers. Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
True to form, the Boards of Canada resurrection has murmured to life so quietly that only the most obsessive of code breakers twigged it early on. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026 Born into a highly artistic family in San Juan, and painting and drawing since pre-school, del Valle first twigged to power of movement at age 11, when her parents took her to see French mime artist Marcel Marceau. Miles Socha, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for twig

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English twigge, from Old English; akin to Old High German zwīg twig, Old English twā two

Verb

perhaps from Irish & Scottish Gaelic tuig- understand

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

1764, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of twig was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Twig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twig. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

twig

noun
ˈtwig
: a small shoot or branch usually without its leaves
twiggy
ˈtwig-ē
adjective

Medical Definition

twig

noun
: a minute branch of a nerve or artery
twigs of sensory nerves in the skinLynda Charters

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