aflutter

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈflʌtər/ UK /əˈflʌtə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
in a state of nervous or excited agitation

Her heart was aflutter as the curtain rose.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · in a state of nervous or... agitatedfluttering excitedaquiveratremblenervous

Opposites

calm composed still settled

Word family

Related forms flutter flit

Etymology

From a- ('in a state of') + flutter, from Middle English floteren ('to float about, flutter'), from Old English floterian, a frequentative related to flotian ('to float').

floterian Old English *flutrōną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# aflutter

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /əˈflʌtər/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈflʌtə/

## Meanings
1. in a state of nervous or excited agitation

## Examples
- Her heart was aflutter as the curtain rose.

## Synonyms
- agitated
- fluttering
- excited
- aquiver
- atremble
- nervous

## Antonyms
- calm
- composed
- still
- settled

## Related Forms
- flutter
- flit

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: floterian
- Root: *flutrōną

## Etymology
From a- ('in a state of') + flutter, from Middle English floteren ('to float about, flutter'), from Old English floterian, a frequentative related to flotian ('to float').

## AI Etymology
Aflutter is from a- ('in a state of') + flutter, from Middle English floteren ('to float about, flutter'), from Old English floterian, a frequentative related to flotian ('to float'). Important recorded forms include floterian (Old English) and *flutrōną (Proto-Germanic). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers in a state of nervous or excited agitation. The wider family includes related words such as flutter and flit.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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