halting

C2+ Topic:Communication

US /ˈhɔltɪŋ/ UK /ˈhɔːltɪŋ/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
hesitant or faltering, especially in speech or movement

She answered in a halting voice, unsure of every word.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · hesitant or faltering,... hesitant faltering stumbling stammering tentative wavering broken

Opposites

fluent smooth steady confident

Word family

Derived forms haltingly

Related forms halt

Etymology

From halt ('to limp, hesitate', from Old English healtian 'to be lame'), originally of limping gait, extended to faltering speech or movement.

healtian Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Word Formation & Derivatives

# halting

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈhɔltɪŋ
**IPA (UK):** ˈhɔːltɪŋ

## Meanings
1. hesitant or faltering, especially in speech or movement

## Examples
- She answered in a halting voice, unsure of every word.

## Synonyms
- hesitant
- faltering
- stumbling
- stammering
- tentative
- wavering
- broken

## Antonyms
- fluent
- smooth
- steady
- confident

## Derived Forms
- haltingly

## Related Forms
- halt

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: healtian

## Etymology
From halt ('to limp, hesitate', from Old English healtian 'to be lame'), originally of limping gait, extended to faltering speech or movement.

## AI Etymology
Halting comes from halt ('to limp, hesitate', from Old English healtian 'to be lame'), originally of limping gait, extended to faltering speech or movement. The etymological trail includes Old English healtian. As an adjective, halting describes what is hesitant or faltering, especially in speech or movement. The same family is visible in derived forms such as haltingly and related forms such as halt.

## Topics
- Communication
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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halting

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