Dubitating

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The condition of being in doubt or uncertainty about a belief or choice
2. A state marked by indecisiveness and wavering regarding conclusions or judgments
3. Experiencing hesitation or lack of conviction about a belief or decision

Etymology: "Dubitating" is the present participle of "dubitate," a verb that English borrowed in 1837 directly from Latin "dubitatus," the past participle of "dubitare," meaning "to doubt." The Latin root "dubitare" itself comes from "dubius," meaning "doubtful" or "wavering," and the English suffix "-ate" turns the Latin verb into the English form. "Dubitate" is a doublet of "doubt," meaning the two words descend from the same Latin source but reached English by different routes. "Doubt" arrived through Old French, where its ancestor was shaped by everyday speech, while "dubitate" was taken straight from Latin scholarly writing. The result is two English words that look like relatives but feel quite different, with "dubitate" sounding learned and deliberate where "doubt" sounds ordinary.

Synonyms: doubting, questioning, hesitating

Antonyms: believing, trusting