Palpitate
/ˈpæl.pɪ.teɪt/noun
To beat rapidly or strongly, especially as the heart does.
Did you know?Palpitate ultimately traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to shake or throb,” which is why it shares deep ancestry with words about feeling, touching, and physical movement.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“to shake, beat, or throb”
Latin
Latin
palpitāre
“to flutter, throb, or tremble repeatedly”
Late Latin
Latin
palpitāre
“to beat or throb, especially of the heart”
Middle French
Old French
palpiter
“to palpitate, throb”
16th Century
English
palpitate
“to beat rapidly or flutter noticeably”