Nearby Words

whirligig

[hwur-li-gig, wur-]

whirl·i·gig

[hwur-li-gig, wur-]
noun
1.
something that whirls or revolves.
2.
a whirling motion or course: the whirligig of fashion.
3.
a giddy or flighty person.
4.
Dialect. a merry-go-round or carrousel.
5.
a toy for whirling or spinning, as a top.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English whirlegigge. See whirl, gig1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Whirligig is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Collins
World English Dictionary
whirligig (ˈwɜːlɪˌɡɪɡ)
 
n
1.  any spinning toy, such as a top
2.  another name for merry-go-round
3.  anything that whirls about, spins, or moves in a circular or giddy way: the whirligig of social life
4.  another name for windmill
 
[C15: whirlegigge, from whirl + gig1]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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