hesitation
nounattested in dialogue
- Canada//ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən//
- Australia//ˌhezɪˈtæɪʃən//
- New Zealand//ˌhezəˈtæɪʃən//
An act of hesitating
noun
- 1
An act of hesitating
- 2
Doubt; vacillation.
She carried out the order without hesitation.
- 3
A faltering in speech; stammering.
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin haereō Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -tō ▲ Latin -tō Latin -itō Latin -titō Latin haesitō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin haesitātiōbor. English hesitation From Latin haesitātiōnem, accusative singular of haesitātiō (“hesitating, stammering”), from haesitō (“hesitate”). Displaced native Old English ġewand.
Forms
- plural
- hesitations