zig

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: one of the sharp turns, angles, or alterations in a zigzag course
b
: one of the short straight lines or sections of a zigzag course at an angle to a zag
2
: a sharp alteration or change of direction (as in a process or policy)
the quick zigs and zags of his international maneuveringsThe New York Times

zig

2 of 2

verb

zigged; zigging

intransitive verb

: to execute a zig
usually contrasted with zag
zigs when others zag

Examples of zig in a Sentence

Verb the fox zigged to the right, and the hounds followed
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Missoni zig zag pointelle bikini $470 MYTHERESA This cotton and polyester blend bikini features Missoni’s iconic zig zag pattern in playful rainbow colors. Kerry Pieri, Vogue, 22 June 2024 The three available colors (pink, white and blue) have cool zig zags that almost match the pattern of criss-crossing laces for an aesthetic shoe meant for all players regardless of level. Good Housekeeping, 26 June 2023
Verb
Where traditionalists zig, Charnichart zags and this state’s barbecue is better for it. Elazar Sontag, Bon Appétit, 9 Sep. 2024 His approach worked not only for obtuse triangles, but for far more complicated shapes: Irregular 100-sided tables, say, or polygons whose walls zig and zag creating nooks and crannies, have periodic orbits, so long as the angles are rational. Quanta Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for zig 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zig.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

zigzag

First Known Use

Noun

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zig was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near zig

Cite this Entry

“Zig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zig. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

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