Wiffle

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A lightweight plastic ball with holes in its surface, used in games and sports ; to produce a breathy, uneven sound or air current ; a faint gust of wind ; to waver or swing irregularly from side to side
2. A hollow, holed plastic sphere that flies erratically when thrown ; to puff air or sound out in a fluttering, uneven way ; a brief, light breeze ; to sway or move in a jerky, unsteady fashion
3. A perforated lightweight ball used for games like baseball ; to make a fluttering, unsteady puff of breath or sound ; a sudden light puff of air ; to move back and forth in an unsteady, wavering manner

Etymology: Most people meet this word as the perforated plastic ball used in backyard baseball, but it began as an ordinary English verb. To "whiffle" is to blow in light, shifting gusts, or to move unsteadily, the way a breeze or a flag does. It is formed from "whiff," a puff of air, with a suffix that suggests repeated small movements. The ball took its name from that sense of erratic motion. Its holes let air through, so a pitch thrown with spin swerves and wobbles unpredictably, which is what the verb describes. The inventor, David Mullany, chose the name for his product, and the brand later became the common name for the ball and the game played with it.

Synonyms: flutter, waver, flit