Tremblement
/ˈtrɛmbəlmən/noun
A trembling or shaking movement; in older usage, a tremor or quiver.
Did you know?Tremblement entered English through French, but its deepest root is a Proto-Indo-European base for shaking that also lives in words like “tremor” and “tremendous,” where ancient motion became modern intensity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*trem-
“to shake, quiver, or tremble”
Latin
Latin
tremere
“to tremble, quake, or shiver”
Latin
Latin
tremblare
“to tremble or shake repeatedly”
Old French
Old French
tremblement
“a trembling, shaking, or quivering”
Middle English
English
tremblement
“a trembling; a shake or quiver”
Modern English
English
tremblement
“a trembling or shaking movement”
Explore more surprising origins