Falter
/ˈfɔːltər/noun
To hesitate, weaken, or move unsteadily.
Did you know?The exact origin is uncertain, but English *falter* is thought to be imitative or expressive, and it may be related to old words for staggering and stuttering—where physical instability and broken speech blur together.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
falten
“To stumble, move unsteadily, or hesitate in speech.”
Late Middle English
English
falteren
“To walk or speak in a wavering, unsteady way.”
Old English / Germanic
Germanic
*faltr- / *falt-
“An imitative or expressive base connected with staggering or fluttering movement.”
Modern English
English
falter
“To become unsteady, weak, or hesitant.”