whirligig

English

WOTD – 10 July 2008

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English whyrlegygge; equivalent to whirl (noun or verb) +‎ gig (“a top”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈwɜː.lɪ.ɡɪɡ/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈwɝ.lɪ.ɡɪɡ/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

whirligig (plural whirligigs)

  1. Anything that whirls or spins around, such as a toy top or a merry-go-round.
  2. A device incorporating spinning, wind-driven propellers or pinwheels, used as whimsical outdoor decoration in a garden or on a porch.
  3. Ellipsis of whirligig beetle.
  4. (historical) A device for punishing prisoners, comprising a wooden cage that rapidly spins around to induce nausea.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

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