whirligig UK /ˈwɜː.lɪ.ɡɪɡ/US /ˈwɝ.lɪ.ɡɪɡ/noun 4verb 1forms 3 noun4 •Anything that whirls or spins around, such as a toy top or a merry-go-round. •A device incorporating spinning, wind-driven propellers or pinwheels, used as whimsical outdoor decoration in a garden or on a porch. •(historical) A device for punishing prisoners, comprising a wooden cage that rapidly spins around to induce nausea. •Ellipsis of whirligig beetle. verb1 •To spin or twirl about quickly. formswhirligigged · whirligigging · whirligigs