Added 9 October 2026
tickle
/ˈtɪkl̩/ noun
In Latin: tītillō Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tickle at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- The act of tickling.
-
An itchy feeling resembling the result of tickling.
I have a persistent tickle in my throat.
- A light tap of the ball.
verb
-
To touch repeatedly or stroke delicately in a manner which typically causes laughter, pleasure and twitching.
He tickled Nancy's tummy, and she started to giggle.
-
To feel as if the body part in question is being tickled.
My nose tickles, and I'm going to sneeze!
- To appeal to someone's taste, curiosity etc.
adjective
adverb
- Insecurely, precariously, unstably.
Origin
From Middle English tiklen, tikelen, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a frequentative form of Middle English tikken (“to touch lightly”), thus equivalent to tick + -le; or perhaps related to Old English tinclian (“to tickle”). Compare North Frisian tigele (“to tickle”) (Hallig dialect), and tiikle (“to tickle”) (Amrum dialect), German dialectal zicklen (“to excite; stir up”). Alternatively, from a metathetic alteration of Middle English kitelen ("to tickle"; see kittle). Both are ultimately sound-symbolic.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)