trepidation
/ˌtɹɛp.ɪˈdeɪ.ʃən/ noun
Forms trepidations
- noun Anxiety over the uncertain future or possible ill-occurrence. “I decided, with considerable trepidation, to let him drive my car without me.”
- noun An involuntary trembling, sometimes an effect of paralysis, but usually caused by terror or fear.
- noun (astronomy, obsolete) A libration of the starry sphere in the Ptolemaic system; a motion ascribed to the firmament, to account for certain small changes in the position of the ecliptic and of the stars.
Synonyms
agitation apprehension consternation fear hesitation worry quaking quivering
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin trepidātiō, from trepidō (“be agitated”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun An involuntary trembling, sometimes an effect of paralysis, but usually caused by terror or fear; quaking; quivering.
- noun Hence, a state of terror or alarm; fear; confusion; fright; as, the men were in great trepidation.
Etymology [F. trépidation, L. trepidatio, fr. trepidare to hurry with alarm, to tremble, from trepidus agitated, disturbed, alarmed; cf. trepit he turns, Gr. torture.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “trepidation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details