Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hesitation” come from?

Hesitation comes from Latin haesitationem, noun form of haesitatio, derived from the frequentative verb haesito, which comes from haereo.

hesitation (English): An act of hesitating; doubt; vacillation; A...

Definitions

  1. An act of hesitating; doubt; vacillation; A...

Ancestry of “hesitation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinhaesitātiō—
2Latin-tiō—
3Latindissertātiō—
4Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
5Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
6Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
7Latincalceusshoe
8Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
9Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “hesitation”

  • hesitational
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →