Origin of seesaw

1630–40 as part of a jingle accompanying a children's game; gradational compound based on saw1

regional variation note for seesaw

Although seesaw (def. 2) is the most widely used term in the U.S., teetertotter is also in wide use in the Northern, North Midland, and Western regions. Tilting board and its variants tilt board and tiltering board are New Eng. terms, especially Eastern New Eng., while tinter and its variant teenter are associated with Western New Eng.

Example sentences from the Web for seesaw

British Dictionary definitions for seesaw

seesaw
/ (ˈsiːˌsɔː) /

noun

a plank balanced in the middle so that two people seated on the ends can ride up and down by pushing on the ground with their feet
the pastime of riding up and down on a seesaw
  1. an up-and-down or back-and-forth movement
  2. (as modifier)a seesaw movement

verb

(intr) to move up and down or back and forth in such a manner; oscillate

Word Origin for seesaw

C17: reduplication of saw 1, alluding to the movement from side to side, as in sawing