Jittery
/ˈdʒɪt.ər.i/noun
Nervous, restless, or unable to stay still.
Did you know?“Jittery” is a relatively modern English word built on the earlier verb *jitter*, which likely imitated rapid shaking or trembling rather than coming from any ancient spellbook.
Etymological Timeline
Early 20th Century
English
jittery
“nervous, shaky, or agitated”
Early 20th Century
English
jitter
“to shake, tremble, or move nervously”
19th Century
English
jitter
“a shaking or tremor; possibly imitative slang”
Unknown / likely expressive formation
English
jitter
“a sound-imitating or motion-imitating word for quick shaking”