Wiggish

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having the characteristics or qualities associated with Whigs, particularly in historical or political contexts
2. Describing attitudes or ideas linked to the Whig party or its supporters
3. Pertaining to the views, policies, or spirit of the Whigs, especially in politics

Etymology: "Wiggish" is a plain formation: the noun "wig" plus the suffix "-ish", meaning "having the qualities of or relating to." Here it carries a political sense, since it is used to describe things connected with the Whigs, the 17th- and 18th-century political faction in Britain. The word's political meaning is the sense that matters, because the suffix attaches to the name of the party rather than to the headgear. The link to the Whigs is a coincidence of spelling and sound rather than a shared origin. "Whig" and "wig" are unrelated in their histories, and the political name is not derived from the hairpiece. Readers who meet "wiggish" for the first time will often read the joke in the spelling, which is part of why the adjective is memorable.

Synonyms: wobbly, unsteady, shaky, fidgety, swaying

Antonyms: steady, stable, firm, solid, balanced