US /dʌʊt/ UK /daʊt/
verb noun Freq #1026

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    To think that something is probably not true or unlikely to happen.

    I doubt that the investors will accept our offer.

  2. 2
    verb

    To not trust or feel sure about someone or something.

    She began to doubt his honesty after the argument.

  3. 3
    noun

    A feeling of being unsure or not believing something.

    There was some doubt about who the child's real father was.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
2 verb · to not trust or feel sure... distrustmistrust
Word family
Forms doubteddoubtingdoubtinglydoubts
Derived forms bedoubtdoubtabledoubtancedoubteedoubterdoubtfuldoubthousedoubtingdoubtinglydoubtlessdoubtmongerdoubtsome
Related forms dubietydubious

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin dubō Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -tō Latin -itō Latin dubitō Old French doterbor. Middle English douten ▲ Old French doter Old French doutebor. Middle English doute ▲ English dubiousinflu. ▲ Latin dubitōinflu. English doubt The verb is derived from Middle English douten (“to doubt, fear, worry”) [and other forms], from Old French douter, doter, duter (compare Middle French doubter), from Latin dubitāre (“to be uncertain, doubt; to hesitate, waver in coming to an…

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