## Meanings
1. To cause something to happen or start, often suddenly.
2. Something that causes an event or reaction to begin.
3. The small lever you pull with your finger to fire a gun.
4. To cause a strong, usually negative, emotional reaction in someone.

## Examples
- The controversial article triggered a flood of angry letters.
- Sleeping in an unfamiliar room can be a trigger for sleepwalking.
- He hesitated before pulling the trigger.
- The film may trigger painful memories for some viewers.

## Derived Forms
- hair-trigger
- self-trigger
- trigger-happy
- triggered
- triggerish
- triggerless
- triggerlike
- triggerman
- triggernometry
- triggerplant
- triggerwoman
- triggery

## Related Forms
- trek

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: trekker
- Root: trekken

## Etymology
Originally tricker, from Dutch trekker (“pull”, noun, as in drawer-pull, bell-pull), from Dutch trekken (“to drag, draw, pull”).

## AI Etymology
Trigger originally tricker, from Dutch trekker (“pull”, noun, as in drawer-pull, bell-pull), from Dutch trekken (“to drag, draw, pull”). The historical line also includes Dutch trekker, Dutch trekken. In present-day use, it can mean to cause something to happen or start, often suddenly, or something that causes an event or reaction to begin. Derived formations include hair-trigger, self-trigger, trigger-happy, triggered, triggerish, triggerless, triggerlike, triggerman.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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