flutter

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

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

   The flags fluttered in the wind.

2. 2
   verb

   To fly with quick, light movements of the wings.

   A small bird fluttered among the branches.

3. 3
   noun

   A quick, light, irregular movement.

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

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.

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