hesitancy

C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈhɛzɪtənsi/ UK /ˈhɛzɪtənsi/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
reluctance or uncertainty about acting or speaking

There was a marked hesitancy in his reply that betrayed his doubt.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · reluctance or uncertainty... hesitance reluctance indecision uncertainty wavering diffidence irresolution

Opposites

decisiveness resolution confidence alacrity eagerness

Word family

Related forms hesitate hesitant hesitance hesitation

Etymology

From Latin haesitantia ('a sticking, hesitation'), from haesitare ('to be undecided'), frequentative of haerere ('to cling, stick'), + the English suffix -cy.

haesitare Latin haerere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# hesitancy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhɛzɪtənsi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhɛzɪtənsi/

## Meanings
1. reluctance or uncertainty about acting or speaking

## Examples
- There was a marked hesitancy in his reply that betrayed his doubt.

## Synonyms
- hesitance
- reluctance
- indecision
- uncertainty
- wavering
- diffidence
- irresolution

## Antonyms
- decisiveness
- resolution
- confidence
- alacrity
- eagerness

## Related Forms
- hesitate
- hesitant
- hesitance
- hesitation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: haesitare
- Root: haerere

## Etymology
From Latin haesitantia ('a sticking, hesitation'), from haesitare ('to be undecided'), frequentative of haerere ('to cling, stick'), + the English suffix -cy.

## AI Etymology
Hesitancy comes from Latin haesitantia ('a sticking, hesitation'), from haesitare ('to be undecided'), frequentative of haerere ('to cling, stick'), + the English suffix -cy. The etymological trail includes Latin haesitare and Latin haerere. As a noun, hesitancy names reluctance or uncertainty about acting or speaking. The same family is visible in related forms such as hesitate, hesitant, hesitance, and hesitation. The analysis is partly morphological, with the modern form built from the elements named in the history.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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