noun
winkle
WIHNG-kuhl
Winkle (noun) means a periwinkle, a small edible sea snail with a spiral shell. Example: “They bought a bag of winkles from the seafood stall and ate them with a pin.”
noun
1
A periwinkle, a small edible sea snail with a spiral shell.
"They bought a bag of winkles from the seafood stall and ate them with a pin."
2
Any of several other spiral-shelled marine snails resembling the periwinkle.
"The tide pool was full of small winkles clinging to the rocks."
verb
1
To winkle out: to get information, an object, or a person out of somewhere with effort or cunning.
"It took hours to winkle the truth out of him."
"She managed to winkle a confession out of the suspect."
How to use winkle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small edible sea snail, or (as a verb with "out") to painstakingly extract something.
Common pairings
winkle out
a bag of winkles
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Word forms
- Plural
- winkles
- Third person singular
- winkles
- Past tense
- winkled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They bought a bag of _____ from the seafood stall and ate them with a pin.
Etymology
Shortened from "periwinkle," the name of the small edible sea snail.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for winkle
See all rhymes for winkle →Frequently asked questions
What does “winkle” mean?
The word “winkle” means a periwinkle, a small edible sea snail with a spiral shell. In plain terms, a small edible sea snail, or (as a verb with "out") to painstakingly extract something.
How do you pronounce “winkle”?
“Winkle” is pronounced WIHNG-kuhl (/ˈwɪŋkəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “winkle” in a sentence?
Here is “winkle” used in a sentence: “They bought a bag of winkles from the seafood stall and ate them with a pin.”
What part of speech is “winkle”?
Depending on how it is used, “winkle” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “winkle” have?
“Winkle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a periwinkle, a small edible sea snail with a spiral shell.
