Dictionary

kittle en · ADJ · etymology 1

Etymology

From Middle English kitelen, from Old English citelian (“to tickle”), from Proto-West Germanic *kitilōn, from Proto-Germanic *kitilōną, frequentative form of Proto-Germanic *kitōną (“to tickle”), from Proto-Indo-European *geyd- (“to stick, jab, tickle”). Cognate with Dutch kittelen, kietelen (“to tickle”), Low German kettelen, ketelen (“to tickle”), German kitzeln (“to tickle”), Icelandic kitla (“to tickle”), Swedish kittla, kittsla, Danish kilde and perhaps Old Armenian կիծ- (kic-, “to sting, bite”), but note that many such words are sound-symbolic. Compare tickle.

Meanings

1. (Northern-England, Scotland) Ticklish.
2. (Northern-England, Scotland) Not easily managed

Forms

Deriveds

kittle cattle

Synonyms

variable · troublesome · difficult

kittle en · VERB · etymology 1

Etymology

From Middle English kitelen, from Old English citelian (“to tickle”), from Proto-West Germanic *kitilōn, from Proto-Germanic *kitilōną, frequentative form of Proto-Germanic *kitōną (“to tickle”), from Proto-Indo-European *geyd- (“to stick, jab, tickle”). Cognate with Dutch kittelen, kietelen (“to tickle”), Low German kettelen, ketelen (“to tickle”), German kitzeln (“to tickle”), Icelandic kitla (“to tickle”), Swedish kittla, kittsla, Danish kilde and perhaps Old Armenian կիծ- (kic-, “to sting, bite”), but note that many such words are sound-symbolic. Compare tickle.

Meanings

1. (Northern-England, Scotland, transitive) To tickle, to touch lightly.

Forms

Deriveds

kittlish

kittle en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

From Middle English kitelen, from Old Norse kjetla (“to bring forth young”), equivalent to kit + -le.

Meanings

1. (Northern-England, Scotland, intransitive) To bring forth young, as a cat; to kitten; to litter.

Forms

Relateds

kitling