Kittle

From Middle English kitelen, from Old English citelian ("to tickle"), from Proto-Germanic *kitilōną, frequentative form of Proto-Germanic *kitōną ("to tickle"), from Proto-Indo-European *geid- ("to stick, jab, tickle"). Cognate with Dutch kittelen, kietelen ("to tickle"), Low German kettelen, ketelen ("to tickle"), German kitzeln ("to tickle"), Icelandic kitla ("to tickle"), Swedish kittla, kittsla, Danish kildre and perhaps Old Armenian կիծ- (kic-, "to sting, bite"). Compare tickle.

Alternative forms

• kittel

Full definition of kittle

Verb

1. (transitive, Scotland and Northern England) To tickle, to touch lightly.

Adjective

1. (Scotland and Northern England) Ticklish.
2. (Scotland and Northern England) Not easily managed; troublesome; difficult; variable.

From Middle English kitelen, from Norwegian kjetla ("to bring forth young"), equivalent to kit + -le.

Verb

1. (intransitive, zoology, Scotland and Northern England) To bring forth young, as a cat; to kitten; to litter.