Pronunciation: [stɹˈaɡə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "straggle" is spelled with an S-T-R-A-G-G-L-E. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈstræɡəl/. The two G's in the spelling of the word represent the two distinct syllables. The first G represents the /ɡ/ sound, and the second G represents the /ɫ/ sound. The letter A is short and pronounced as /æ/. The word means to move in a scattered or disordered way, often used in reference to a group of people or things.
Straggle is a verb that is commonly used to describe the action of moving or spreading unevenly or haphazardly in a disorganized manner. It is often associated with the idea of being scattered or isolated, especially in a group or line.
When someone or something straggles, they do not follow a straight or orderly path but rather wander or meander in different directions. This can refer to anything from individuals straggling behind a group or a line of people, to objects or structures not aligned properly.
The term can also be used to depict the act of extending over a period of time or space in a disjointed or inconsistent manner. For instance, a conversation or a project that straggles may lack coherence or continuity, with discussions or progress being sporadic or fragmented.
Furthermore, straggle can carry the connotation of being untidy or unkempt. In this sense, it may portray a sense of disorder or irregularity, such as stray hairs straggling across one's face or a garden's foliage growing in a disorderly fashion.
Overall, the term straggle encompasses the notions of disorganization, unevenness, irregularity, and being scattered. Whether it refers to the movement of individuals or objects, the progression of time or space, or the appearance of something, straggle captures the idea of a lack of order or a failure to align neatly.
To move irregularly in varying directions; to separate from the regular line of march; to rove; to shoot or extend too far.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "straggle" originated from the Middle English term "straglen", which can be traced back to the Old French word "estraguler". The root of this word is "estrage", meaning "destruction" or "slaughter". Over time, the word evolved to mean "to wander off" or "to stray from the group", which is its current definition.
