verb / noun

waggle

WAG-ul/ˈwæɡl/

A short, quick movement from side to side.

The dog’s tail gives a quick waggle.

A small dog stands still while its raised tail makes short, quick side-to-side movements, shown by closely spaced lateral motion strokes around the tail tip.

Etymology

Wag supplies the back-and-forth motion, while the ending marks repetition. Waggle thus describes a succession of movements, matching its short, quick side-to-side action.

In context

Meleah Nelson6:25

now just stay over there i'm just lifting so you can hear me waggle your hips back and forth while you're on the ground

Beg/Int Belly Dance Lesson: Slow Flow with Meleah, Meleah.com

More examples

She waggles her fingers to attract his attention.
He answers with a playful waggle of his eyebrows.
The loose sign waggled in the breeze.

Forms

waggle · waggles · waggled · waggling

Similar words

wag: Wag describes repeated side-to-side movement; waggle suggests short, small movements.
wiggle: Wiggle can move in various small directions; waggle particularly suggests a repeated side-to-side motion.