Twisting and wriggling your body in an uncomfortable or nervous way.
From Middle English 'squirmen,' possibly from Old Norse or Old English origins. The exact root is uncertain, but it may relate to the movement itself—a word that sounds like what it means (onomatopoeia).
Squirming is one of those words that sounds like the action it describes! Linguists call this 'onomatopoeia,' and you'll notice we use these words a lot when we're uncomfortable—wriggling, jiggling, twisting—they all have similar squirmy sounds.
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