Skip to the word

Added 10 October 2026

trickle

/ˈtɹɪkəl/ noun

In Latin: stillare Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about trickle at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Flowing in drops; the formation and falling of drops of liquid.
there's a drip through the roof

verb

Run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream.
water trickled onto the lawn from the broken hose

Origin

From Middle English triklen, likely a rebracketing (e.g. teres strikled > teerys trikled (“tears trickled”)) of Middle English striklen (“to trickle”), equivalent to strike + -le. For other similar cases of incorrect division, see also apron, daffodil, newt, nickname, orange, umpire.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word