flutter

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈflʌtɚ/ UK /ˈflʌtə/ See IPA manual

Freq #18260

Meanings

1

verb
To move quickly and lightly up and down or back and forth.

The flags fluttered in the wind.
2

verb
To fly with quick, light movements of the wings.

A small bird fluttered among the branches.
3

noun
A quick, light, irregular movement.

There was a flutter of wings as the birds took off.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms flutteredflutteringflutters

Derived forms aflutterbeflutterflutter-tongueflutterationflutterballflutterboardflutterbyfluttererflutterlessfluttermentfluttersomefluttery

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

flutter kick
a swimming movement in which the legs alternate rapidly up and down

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English floteren, from Old English floterian, flotorian (“to float about, flutter”), from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną, frequentative of Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), equivalent to float + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with West Frisian flodderje (“to flutter, beat”), Dutch flodderen (“to flutter, wave”), Low German fluttern, fluddern (“to flutter”), German flittern (“to sparkle, glitter”). More at float.

floteren Middle English floterian Old English *flutrōną Proto-Germanic *flutōną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# flutter

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈflʌtɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈflʌtə/
**Frequency rank:** 18260

## Meanings
1. To move quickly and lightly up and down or back and forth.
2. To fly with quick, light movements of the wings.
3. A quick, light, irregular movement.

## Examples
- The flags fluttered in the wind.
- A small bird fluttered among the branches.
- There was a flutter of wings as the birds took off.

## Derived Forms
- aflutter
- beflutter
- flutter-tongue
- flutteration
- flutterball
- flutterboard
- flutterby
- flutterer
- flutterless
- flutterment
- fluttersome
- fluttery

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

## Etymology
From Middle English floteren, from Old English floterian, flotorian (“to float about, flutter”), from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną, frequentative of Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), equivalent to float + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with West Frisian flodderje (“to flutter, beat”), Dutch flodderen (“to flutter, wave”), Low German fluttern, fluddern (“to flutter”), German flittern (“to sparkle, glitter”). More at float.

## AI Etymology
Flutter comes from Middle English floteren, from Old English floterian, flotorian (“to float about, flutter”), from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną, frequentative of Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), equivalent to float + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with West Frisian flodderje (“to flutter, beat”), Dutch flodderen (“to flutter, wave”), Low German fluttern, fluddern (“to flutter”), German flittern (“to sparkle, glitter”). More at float. In current use, the main senses are “To move quickly and lightly up and down or back and forth” and “To fly with quick, light movements of the wings”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown