noun
niggle
Niggle (noun) means a small complaint or issue.
noun
1
A small complaint or issue.
"He declared that it would take until the early New Year for all the faults and niggles to be ironed out, and that the rest of 2019 would be deemed to be a 'bedding in' period."
— Richard Clinnick, After some alarms, Sleeper awakens (2020)
"The Olympic medal contender's back problem has been described as a "niggle" by the head coach, Charles van Commenee, but Porter's friend and former team-mate Danielle Carruthers revealed that the injury is playing on the Briton's mind."
— Anna Kessel, London 2012: Christian Taylor aims high as Phillips Idowu stays away (2012)
2
Tiny, tightly packed handwriting.
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Etymology
Niggle is first attested in 1599. Its origin is uncertain, but it was likely borrowed from dialectal Norwegian nigla (“to be stingy, to busy oneself with trifles”), which ultimately goes back to Old Norse hnøggr (“stingy; miserly”), related to Old English hnēaw (“stingy; niggardly”). See also niggard.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for niggle
See all rhymes for niggle →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of niggle?
"niggle" (noun) means a small complaint or issue.
What is another word for niggle?
Other words for "niggle" include quibble.
What are the different meanings of niggle?
"niggle" has 2 main meanings: 1. A small complaint or issue; 2. Tiny, tightly packed handwriting.