## Meanings
1. To become weaker or less steady; to lose strength or confidence.
2. To speak in a hesitant, unsteady, or trembling way.
3. To hesitate or pause because of doubt.

## Examples
- Their enthusiasm began to falter halfway through the project.
- His voice faltered as he read the sad news.
- She never faltered in her decision to leave.

## Synonyms
- flounder

## Derived Forms
- falterer

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: falteren

## Etymology
From Middle English falteren (“to stagger; be unsteady, tremble, quiver; to stammer; be entangled, get caught”), further origin unknown. Probably from a North Germanic source such as Old Norse faltrask (“to hesitate, be puzzled, be encumbered”). May also be a frequentative of fold, although the change from d to t is unusual.

## AI Etymology
Falter comes from Middle English falteren (“to stagger; be unsteady, tremble, quiver; to stammer; be entangled, get caught”), further origin unknown. Probably from a North Germanic source such as Old Norse faltrask (“to hesitate, be puzzled, be encumbered”). May also be a frequentative of fold, although the change from d to t is unusual. In current use, the main senses are “To become weaker or less steady; to lose strength or confidence” and “To speak in a hesitant, unsteady, or trembling way”.

## Topics
- Communication

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