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fidg·et

(fĭjĭt)

v. fidg·et·ed, fidg·et·ing, fidg·ets

v.intr.

1. To behave or move nervously or restlessly.

2. To play or fuss; fiddle: He fidgeted with his notes while lecturing.

v.tr.

To cause to behave or move nervously or restlessly.

1. fidgets A condition of restlessness as manifested by nervous movements. Often used with the: a bored child who had the fidgets.

2. One that fidgets.

[From obsolete and dialectal fidge, to move restlessly, perhaps from Middle English fiken, of Scandinavian origin.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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