Squirrelly

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈskwɝli/

Definitions

1. Exhibiting an anxious or jittery demeanor that is often inconsistent and unpredictable, much like the rapid, skittish motions seen in a small arboreal mammal
2. Displaying a restless and elusive attitude that frequently shifts unpredictably, akin to the frantic movements of a small creature often found in trees
3. Showing signs of nervousness or uneasy behavior that changes abruptly ; acting in a way that is unconventional or peculiar compared to normal standards

Etymology: Squirrelly first appears in print in 1925, and the most likely explanation is that it describes the jumpy, unpredictable darting of the animal itself. Anyone who has watched a squirrel change direction mid-run or freeze and bolt again will recognise the image that the word borrows. A second possibility is that the word was shaped by analogy with the slang use of "nutty" for crazy, since squirrels were sometimes linked with nuts in that sense. The sources do not settle which idea came first, so the animal and the nut slang remain the two leading candidates. The word is a straightforward formation: "squirrel" with the adjective-forming suffix "-ly" added, which turns a noun into a description of a quality. "Squirrel" itself came into English from Anglo-Norman "escurel," which derives from Latin "sciurus," and that Latin word came from Greek "skiouros," meaning "shadow-tailed," a fitting name for an animal that sweeps its bushy tail over its body.

Synonyms: fidgety, nervous