squirm etymology

Etymology:

• Middle English: skirmen, from Old English: scirman ("to writhe, wriggle")
• Proto-Germanic: skirmōną ("to writhe, squirm")
• Proto-Indo-European: *skher- ("to cut, shear")

Meaning:

• To move or twist in a wriggling or uneasy manner
• To feel uncomfortable or uneasy
• To be evasive or reluctant

Origin:

The word "squirm" originated in Old English as scirman, meaning "to writhe or wriggle." It is related to the Old Norse word skreyma ("to wriggle, shudder"), the German word schirmen ("to shelter, protect"), and the Latin word scindere ("to cut, shear").

The root *skher- in Proto-Indo-European suggests that the original meaning of "squirm" may have been related to cutting or shearing, perhaps referring to the way that people or animals instinctively move away from pain or discomfort.

squirm relate terms

• swarm

  Etymology The word swarm comes from the Middle English word swarmen which itself com

• susurration

  Etymology From Late Latin susurratiō n from Latin susurrāre to whisper Meaning

• swerve

  Etymology The word swerve originated from the Middle English word swerven which itse

• worm

  Etymology The word worm is derived from the Old English word wyrm which meant serpe

• come

  Etymology The word come comes from Middle English comen which in turn comes from Ol

• squiggle

  Etymology The word squiggle is thought to have originated from the Middle English word

• squirm

  Etymology Middle English skirmen from Old English scirman to writhe wriggle Pro

• wriggle

  Etymology Middle English wriggelen Old English wriggian Proto Germanic wriggjan M

• writhe

  Etymology The word writhe comes from the Old English verb wriðan which means to

• twist

  Etymology The word twist comes from the Old English word twist or twyst which ulti

• wiggle

  Etymology The word wiggle is thought to have originated from the Old English word wagg

• belly dance

  Etymology The term belly dance is a translation of the French phrase danse du ventre

• motion

  Etymology The word motion comes from the Latin word motus which means movement or

• movement

  Etymology origin of the word movement Latin movere movere Proto Indo European m

• wrench

  Etymology The word wrench is derived from the Middle English word wrenche which mea

• move

  Etymology The word move is derived from the Middle English muven which in turn came

• swelter

  Etymology Middle English swelten from Old English sweltan swelten to die perish

• discreet

  Etymology of Discreet The word discreet originates from the Latin word discretus