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Added 9 October 2026

crinkle

/ˈkɹɪŋkəl/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about crinkle at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A slight depression or fold in the smoothness of a surface.
his face has many lines

verb

Make wrinkles or creases on a smooth surface; make a pressed, folded or wrinkled line in; `crisp' is archaic.
The dress got wrinkled
Become wrinkled or crumpled or creased.
This fabric won't wrinkle

Origin

From Middle English crenclen (“to bend, buckle”), from Old English *crinclian, frequentative form of Old English crincan (“to yield”), from Proto-Germanic *kringaną (“to turn, to fall, to yield”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to turn, wind”). Cognate with North Frisian krenge, krönge (“to obtain, reach, attain”), Dutch krinkelen (“to turn, wind”). Related to cringe.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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