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wa·ver (wāvər)
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intr.v. wa·vered, wa·ver·ing, wa·vers
1.
a. To move unsteadily back and forth: The flowers wavered in the breeze. See Synonyms at swing.
b. To move in a certain direction with a swaying or unsteady motion: The child wavered along the hall. Snowflakes wavered down.
2.
a. To exhibit irresolution or indecision; vacillate: They wavered over buying a house.
b. To become unsteady or unsure; falter: His resolve began to waver.
c. To become diverted: She never wavered from her position opposing the war.
3. To change or fluctuate: The weather wavered between sunny and overcast.
4.
a. To tremble or quaver in sound, as of the voice or a musical note.
b. To flicker or glimmer: The door opened, and the light from the candle wavered.
n.
The action of wavering: the waver of the flashlight in the distance.
[Middle English waveren; see webh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
waver·er n.
waver·ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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