sprig

Pronunciation: /spɹɪɡ/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
  2. noun an ornament that resembles a spray of leaves or flowers

Etymology

From Middle English sprig, sprigge, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Middle Low German sprik, spricke (“a dry, easily broken twig that has fallen from a tree; sprig”). Compare also dialectal English sprag (“sprig, twig”), English spray (“branch”), Old English spræc (“a shoot”), German Low German Spricke, Sprick (“dry branch, twig”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

branchlet, twig

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
branch
Narrower (hyponyms)
wand, brier, withe

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