wattle

Meaning

Noun

1. A construction of branches and twigs woven together to form a wall, barrier, fence, or roof.
2. A single twig or rod laid on a roof to support the thatch.
3. A wrinkled fold of skin, sometimes brightly coloured, hanging from the neck of birds (such as chicken and turkey) and some lizards.
4. A barbel of a fish.
5. A decorative fleshy appendage on the neck of a goat.
6. Loose hanging skin in the neck of a person.
7. Any of several Australian trees and shrubs of the genus Acacia, or their bark, used in tanning, seen as a national emblem of Australia.

Verb

1. To construct a wattle, or make a construction of wattles.
2. To bind with wattles or twigs.

Synonyms

acacia

braid

lappet

woven

plait

switch

dewlap

gill

wicker fence

wicker

caruncle

lacing

lamella

lanyard

lath

pale yellow

plexus

rack

raddle

rail

riddle

ruddle

thorn

twig

twine

weave

withe

thorntree

twist together

albizia

albizzia

shittah

laniard

Christmas tree

🎄

convolve

double chin

enlace

entwine

ferule

hurdle

interlace

intertwine

lace

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈwɒtl̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: wattel

Inherited from Old English: watel

In summary

From Middle English wattel, watel, from Old English watel, watul (“hurdle”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wey- (“to turn, wind, bend”).