# niggle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈnɪɡəl/ · frequency rank #90,775

## Definitions
1. A minor complaint or problem.
2. Small, cramped handwriting.

## Etymology
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
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/niggle