Zigzag

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈzɪɡ.zæɡ/

Definitions

1. A line or path that moves back and forth at sharp angles, alternately changing direction from one side to the other
2. A pattern that consists of angular lines alternating direction, often creating a series of sharp turns which resemble a winding motion
3. A configuration that features sharp changes in direction, forming a series of angles that create a visually dynamic and winding effect

Etymology: Zigzag is one of those words whose shape arrived before its meaning did: the sharp back-and-forth motion it describes is probably named after the letter Z, which appears twice in the word itself. That letter-shape explanation is one of several possibilities rather than settled fact, and the word's exact origin remains uncertain. What is better documented is its travel route. The French "zigzag" was already in use by 1662, and English borrowed it by 1712. Some scholars think the French form may trace back to a Germanic source by way of Walloon, the Romance language spoken in parts of Belgium, as "ziczac," though German "Zickzack" is only attested from 1703, which makes the direction of borrowing hard to pin down. The word has also picked up a slang sense of "drunk," presumably from the wavering path of an unsteady walker. The image of someone staggering from side to side gave the word a meaning that describes a person rather than a line.

Synonyms: winding, serpentine, twisting

Antonyms: straight