niggle
/ˈnɪɡəl/noun, verb
niggle is spelled N-I-G-G-L-E: 6 letters. It appears about once in every 9 million words in written English, the 90,432nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, niggle means “A minor complaint or problem” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of niggle is niggles.
How many letters and syllables are in niggle?
| Letters | 6: N-I-G-G-L-E |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 9 million words; the 90,432nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is niggle?
Niggle appears about once in every 9 million words in written English, the 90,432nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce niggle?
- /ˈnɪɡəl/
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-niggle.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of niggle
- niggles plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- niggling participle, present
- niggled participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does niggle mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A minor complaint or problem.
- 2
obsoleteSmall, cramped handwriting.
verb
- 1
obsoleteTo trifle with; to deceive; to mock.
- 2
To use, spend, or do in a petty or trifling manner.
- 3
To dwell too much on minor points or on trifling details.
- 4
UKTo fidget, fiddle, be restless.
- 5
UKarchaicTo walk with short steps.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Where does niggle come from?
First attested in 1599. Origin uncertain, but likely borrowed from dialectal Norwegian nigla (“to be stingy, to busy oneself with trifles”), ultimately from Old Norse hnøggr (“stingy; miserly”), related to Old English hnēaw (“stingy; niggardly”). More at niggard.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).